Former European Council President and former Belgian Prime Minister Charles Michel has attacked Ursula Von der Leyen and accused the European Commission of a power grab in a new interview with The Brussels Times.
Sitting down with the former EU and Belgian leader, who left office in 2024, has revealed the deep-rooted animosity between him and the current President of the European Commission, von der Leyen. He revisits the “Sofagate” scandal, when both were in Ankara for a summit with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
Michel's own account is brief and unrepentant. "The protocol was perfectly respected," he says, understanding the visual impact. However, he accuses the Commission of using the episode to leverage its role.
Indeed, Michel sharply criticises the European Commission, accusing it of overreaching its powers while sidelining certain commissioners, accusing von der Leyen of "authoritarian governance".
"Today, the Commission is trying to take control. That's not in line with the treaty,” Michel told The Brussels Times.
Moreover, he believes the EU’s response to the US hostility has been misguided and weak, citing the lack of a concerted response to the former commissioner Thierry Breton.
In the interview, he reflects on his leadership in Belgium and the European Council, during the Brussels attacks, Covid-19 and Russia’s war on Ukraine. On the European side, he argues that he has been since vindicated for his efforts to promote strategic autonomy, energy, and competitiveness.
On Belgium, he is more positive about its future, stating that internal divisions cannot continue when external pressures are so high. He even compares the country to a latte: “You can try to separate the coffee and the milk. But it doesn't work."
Read the full interview in The Brussels Times Magazine, available online and in shops now.
