Discover.
Entertain. Live. Asorock
Asorock.com Star · Politician
Ursula von der Leyen
Ursula von der Leyen is a German politician and physician who has led the European Commission since 2019. Re-elected by the European Parliament in 2024, she is serving a second mandate after holding several senior ministerial posts in Germany.
Star Mover ranking
Not ranked in News yet
0 points
No points are shown in this support ranking yet.
Profile
About Ursula von der Leyen
Profile information current to .
Germany · Politician, Physician
Show full profile Hide full profile
- Politician
- Physician
At a glance
- Von der Leyen is President of the European Commission and is serving her second mandate in the 2024-2029 institutional cycle.
- Her election in 2019 made her the first woman to become President of the European Commission.
- Before moving to the European Commission, she served in Germany's federal government as minister for family affairs, labour and social affairs, and defence.
- The European Commission identifies the European Green Deal as an initiative launched by von der Leyen in 2019.
Education and professional background
Born in Ixelles, Belgium, on 8 October 1958, von der Leyen studied economics at the Universities of Göttingen and Münster and at the London School of Economics. She later completed a medical degree at Hanover Medical School in 1987 and earned a doctorate in medicine in 1991.
German public career
Von der Leyen joined Germany's Christian Democratic Union in 1990. From 2003 to 2005, she sat in the Lower Saxony state assembly and served as the state minister responsible for social affairs, women, family affairs and health. She subsequently served as federal minister for family affairs from 2005 to 2009, labour and social affairs from 2009 to 2013, and defence from 2013 to 2019. She was also a member of the German Bundestag from 2009 to 2019.
President of the European Commission
The European Parliament first elected von der Leyen as Commission President on 16 July 2019. It re-elected her on 18 July 2024 with 401 votes in favour, and the Commission headed by her formally began its appointed mandate on 1 December 2024. As President, she determines the Commission's organisation, allocates portfolios, sets its policy agenda and represents it in major European and international forums.
European policy agenda
During von der Leyen's first Commission, the European Commission issued the European Green Deal communication and describes the initiative as having been launched by her in 2019. Her political guidelines for the 2024-2029 Commission proposed priorities spanning competitiveness, the clean transition, defence and security, migration and borders, social policy, democracy and the rule of law, enlargement, and global partnerships; these guidelines state an agenda rather than establish that every proposed measure has been adopted or implemented.
Timeline
- Born in Ixelles, Belgium.
- Completed a medical degree at Hanover Medical School.
- Joined Germany's Christian Democratic Union.
- Entered the Lower Saxony state assembly and became the state minister responsible for social affairs, women, family affairs and health.
- Became Germany's Federal Minister for Family Affairs, Senior Citizens, Women and Youth.
- Became Germany's Federal Minister of Defence.
- First elected President of the European Commission by the European Parliament, becoming the first woman to hold the office.
- The European Commission issued its European Green Deal communication during von der Leyen's first Commission; the Commission describes the initiative as launched by her in 2019.
- Re-elected by the European Parliament for a second term as Commission President, with 401 votes in favour.
- The Commission headed by von der Leyen formally began its appointed mandate.
Additional verified details
Current context
- Ursula von der Leyen is President of the European Commission. The Commission headed by von der Leyen was formally appointed for a term ending on 31 October 2029.
- Von der Leyen is serving her second mandate as President of the European Commission in the 2024-2029 institutional cycle. She was re-elected by the European Parliament on 18 July 2024, and the Commission as a body was formally appointed from 1 December 2024.
- As Commission President, she determines the Commission's organisation, allocates portfolios to Commissioners, sets the Commission's policy agenda, and represents it at European Council meetings, G7 and G20 summits, summits with non-EU countries, and major debates in the European Parliament and Council.
- Her political guidelines for the 2024-2029 Commission set out proposed priorities including sustainable prosperity and competitiveness, the clean transition, defence and security, migration and borders, social policy, democracy and rule of law, enlargement, and global partnerships. These are political guidelines presented for the 2024-2029 Commission rather than a record that every proposed measure has been adopted or implemented.
Biographical facts
- Ursula von der Leyen was born on 8 October 1958 in Ixelles, Belgium.
- She studied economics at the Universities of Göttingen and Münster and at the London School of Economics before completing a medical degree at Hanover Medical School in 1987.
- She earned a doctorate in medicine in 1991.
- From 2003 to 2005, she was a CDU member of the Lower Saxony state assembly and served as the state minister responsible for social affairs, women, family affairs and health.
- She served as Germany's Federal Minister for Family Affairs, Senior Citizens, Women and Youth from 2005 to 2009.
- She was a member of the German Bundestag from 2009 to 2019 and served as Federal Minister of Labour and Social Affairs from 2009 to 2013.
- She served as Germany's Federal Minister of Defence from 2013 to 2019.
- The European Commission identifies the European Green Deal as having been launched by President von der Leyen in 2019.
Connections
Affiliations
Affiliations associated with Ursula von der Leyen.
- European Commission President 2024-12-01–present
- Christian Democratic Union of Germany Member 1990–present
- German Bundestag Member 2009–2019
News & Content
Latest stories featuring Ursula von der Leyen
Searching news and content…