Politico: The dysfunctional relationship – Von der Leyen – Charles Michel at the heart of Europe

The Politico in a new article she puts him in her “target”. Ursula von der Leyen and his Charles Michelstating that it is not only dysfunctional, but that it may be undermining itself Europe.

Specifically, the politico.eu emphasizes that in the almost three years since the start of their term, relations between Michel and von der Leyen have suffered an unprecedented breakdown. Thus, the dysfunctional relationship not only affects the EU’s legislative and political agenda, which depends on a delicate internal balancing act. It also threatens to undermine the EU’s standing in the world.

For example, one of the central events of the G20 will be a meeting between Michel and Chinese leader Xi Jinping scheduled to take place on the sidelines of the summit. Given the divisions within the EU over how to deal with Beijing, the meeting is significantly overdue. But von der Leyen has not been invited.

The reason; Her refusal to allow Michel to attend a meeting with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the G7 in Germany in June. The rivalry between the Commission and the Council has long been a challenge due to an inherent structural tension within the “Byzantine system” of the EU.

By contrast, their predecessors Task and Juncker met most weeks and had a good working relationship, helped by their previous acquaintance as prime ministers and despite their differences on policy issues such as immigration.

Now Council staff are forced to “hunt down information as if they were journalists,” one official said, complaining that the Commission is not informing Michel of its upcoming proposals, even though those initiatives will ultimately need the support of national governments.

“Both are responsible”

In the dispute between the two leaders, von der Leyen is seen as having the “upper hand”. The president of the European Council may officially represent the EU at external events, but institutionally the president of the Commission has emerged as the EU’s most prominent leader, particularly when it comes to relations with Washington.

“Honestly, they are both responsible,” an EU official pointed out. “There have been tensions in the past, but in the end you always come down to personalities. Their predecessors realized that it was in the interests of both to find a stable working relationship.” Another long-time EU official said the inter-institutional relationship was at an all-time low. “It makes no sense for the head of the European Commission and the president of the European Council to be fighting,” the official said. “In a crisis the EU is supposed to come together,” he added. “Yes, structurally the two institutions are in conflict. Sometimes there is no clear division of labor. But we need adults in the room” he commented indignantly.