Who is Leyen von der Leyen?
It was only after she had finished her medical studies and lived for several years in the U.S. with her family that she set her sights on a political career in Germany. After climbing through the ranks in Lower Saxony, von der Leyen joined Merkel’s first Cabinet in 2005, heading the Ministry for Family, Seniors, Women and Youth.
What went wrong with the Leyen ship?
The overhaul of the ship, christened in 1958, has ended up costing more than 10 times what was originally projected. Though von der Leyen has acknowledged making mistakes along the way, she has ignored repeated demands from the opposition benches for her resignation.
What did Leyen do wrong as defense minister?
In 2015, well before the procurement scandal erupted, von der Leyen faced plagiarism accusations in connection with the thesis she wrote when she studied medicine. Several years earlier, similar accusations had forced one of her predecessors as defense minister, Karl-Theodor zu Guttenberg, to resign.
How did von der Leyen fail the German Army?
Fixing the German army, which had been starved of resources for years after the end of the Cold War, was a herculean task. Von der Leyen blamed many of the problems facing the armed forces on her predecessors. Now in her fifth year atop the ministry, she can no longer point fingers.
Why is Germany’s defence minister Heiko von der Leyen under investigation?
In addition to problems surrounding the German military’s readiness, von der Leyen’s ministry also faces an investigation into suspected wrongdoing surrounding its use of outside consultants, including Accenture and McKinsey.
What does former President von der Leyen do for the Commission?
President von der Leyen’s team supports her in her daily work. As part of the Commission’s commitment to transparency, Commissioners and their members of Cabinet publish information on meetings held with organisations or self-employed individuals.