With European Elections in less than a year, Ursula von der Leyen's State of the Union speech on Wednesday provided a chance for the European Commission President to paint the bloc's greatest challenges in a flattering light. Von der Leyen also hinted at hopes of securing another term in the top job as she vaunted the achievements of her first term.
But four years on from her surprise rise to the head of the EU (the first woman to hold the post), critics might challenge von der Leyen's framing of her legacy. Though the succession of crises is undeniable – the Covid-19 pandemic and Ukraine – can it truly be claimed that all has gone swimmingly?
Opponents of camp VDL might instead point to dithering on major climate files, mass migration mismanagement, inaction on anti-corruption reform following Qatargate, and an apparent disregard for human rights in the spyware scandal.
In the context of multiple natural disasters seen this summer in Greece, Italy, Slovenia, Spain and beyond, the need to deliver the European Green Deal has become more critical than ever. On this front, VDL has objectively failed to muster support within her own EPP party, which has resisted key environmental components such as the Nature Restoration Law.
Others might cite the "landmark" Tunisia deal on migration, signed alongside far-right Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni. Far from stemming the flow of boats attempting the perilous Mediterranean crossing and combatting human trafficking, Italian data shows that there has been an exponential rise in migration arrivals since the signing of the treaty.
To this end, the deal has been lampooned on both sides of the political spectrum: the right arguing it is ineffective whilst the left has been infuriated by what it sees as a blank cheque to an authoritarian leader using the trafficking of human beings for geopolitical and economic advantage.
With Qatargate exposing the corruption that has taken root within EU institutions here in Brussels, senior officials have been lacklustre in showing citizens that the bloc is serious about clamping down on this matter. Greens/EFA MEP Daniel Freund told The Brussels Times that this inaction will be felt at the June 2024 elections.
Far from accepting von der Leyen's version of events, one might ask whether the EU's apparent sluggishness to change its ways is not reflected by her uninspiring leadership and poor communication. As usual, the State of the Union was an impenetrable speech delivered for the benefit of the EU bubble, not the Europe at large.
Its title? Answering the call of history. Well, go on then.
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