EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen is reportedly seeking to strengthen her executive power and centralize the EU’s decision-making process, according to a recent article in Politico.
As part of this effort, the EU’s executive arm has been instructed to post the Commission President’s statements on social media, but not to add any personal comments, a move seen as a sign of growing control and oversight.
This trend of centralization is a hallmark of von der Leyen’s tenure, as she attempts to transform the EU into a more presidential system, sidelining the European Parliament and other representative institutions, not to mention national governments, whose sovereignty would be further eroded.
This development has been welcomed by some as a necessary step for the EU to be more effective in the face of global challenges, but others see it as a threat to national sovereignty and a step towards a more authoritarian EU.
Experts point out that the EU’s current structure, a union of states with different centers of power, political orders and electoral systems, makes it difficult to be an effective player on the global stage.
Von der Leyen’s efforts to centralize the EU’s decision-making process may face increasing resistance in the future as eurosceptic parties gain more influence in the EU, particularly in Hungary and the Slovak Republic.
Meanwhile, the US administration under Donald Trump has been critical of the EU’s efforts to strengthen its executive power, seeing it as a threat to American influence and a potential rival power center.
The article concludes that von der Leyen’s ability to maintain her position and push through her centralization agenda will depend on her ability to navigate these challenges and maintain the support of the EU’s member states.