THE PROFILE OF THE PRESIDENT OF EU WITH THE INFO PROVIDED BY SERCH OF AI ( ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE ).!
Here’s what I found regarding Ursula von der Leyen and any controversies or scandals before and after assuming her role as President of the European Commission:
Before taking the EU’s top job (pre‑2019)
1. Plagiarism in her medical dissertation
In 2015, researchers found that around 43–44% of von der Leyen's 1991 medical thesis may have contained plagiarized passages. The University of Hanover concluded the errors weren’t deliberate and didn’t withdraw her doctorate, but the incident drew sharp academic and public criticism for poor citation standards.
2. “Consultants affair” as Germany’s Defense Minister
During her tenure (2013–2019), her ministry was embroiled in a major procurement scandal. Investigations revealed that hundreds of millions of euros in consultant contracts (with firms like Accenture and McKinsey) had been awarded with minimal or no oversight—far above what was officially declared—and raised questions about potential conflicts of interest, especially as her son worked at McKinsey. Complicating matters, relevant data—including phone records—were reportedly deleted or wiped when they became subject to investigation.
After taking the EU Commission Presidency (post‑2019)
3. "Sofagate" diplomatic incident (April 2021)
Why it matters: Though not a scandal in the legal sense, this Euro‑protocol failure had huge symbolic and gender‑equality implications. During a joint visit to Turkey, von der Leyen was left without a chair and forced to sit on a sofa—while Charles Michel, President of the European Council, sat next to Erdoğan. It sparked debate over sexism in diplomacy.
4. “Pfizergate”: deleted vaccine negotiation texts
During the COVID‑19 pandemic, von der Leyen negotiated a massive vaccine deal (~€35 billion) with Pfizer via personal text messages with CEO Albert Bourla. Those messages were later "deleted" or stated to be unofficial and hence not archived. Journalists and MEPs accused the Commission of non‑transparency. The issue led to legal action by The New York Times, court rulings ordering greater transparency, and a no‑confidence vote in the European Parliament (which von der Leyen survived).
5. Cronyism allegations in EU appointments (“Piepergate”)
In 2024, von der Leyen appointed Markus Pieper—a fellow CDU member—as SME Envoy. MEPs and civil society groups criticized the move as politically motivated, lacking transparency and merit. A backlash even came from her own commissioners, ultimately leading to Pieper’s withdrawal before taking the post.
Summary Table
| Period | Controversy/Scandal | Key Issues |
|---|---|---|
| Pre‑2019 | Dissertation plagiarism | Academic integrity, citation failures |
| Consultants procurement scandal in Germany | Overspending, lack of oversight, phone/data deletion during probe | |
| Post‑2019 | Sofagate | Symbolic sexism, diplomatic embarrassment |
| Pfizergate (vaccine texts controversy) | Transparency, possible misuse of private communications | |
| Pieper appointment ("Piepergate") | Nepotism/cronyism concerns in EU personnel hiring |
Let me know if you'd like details on any of these controversies—if you're interested, I could dive deeper into the Pfizergate legal rulings, or the parliamentary reactions to each event.