With national leaders facing war, political division and economic crisis, backing the EU chief for a second term is their best hope of unity
As 400 million EU citizens prepare to cast their votes in June’s European elections, a new poll shows that it is Ursula von der Leyen who has caught voters’ attention like no EU chief before her.
Our survey suggests that a large majority of Europeans today are aware that she is the European Commission president, considered to be the most powerful political office in the EU. Previous EU chief executives have been largely unknown to the public. But almost 75% are able to correctly identify von der Leyen’s name and recognise her face. Five years ago, her predecessor, Jean-Claude Juncker, scored only 40% recognition.
Catherine De Vries is Generali chair in European policies and professor at Bocconi University in Milan
Isabell Hoffmann is senior expert on Europe at the Bertelsmann Stiftung
