Brussels Edition

Von der Leyen’s Power Grab Is Undermining EU Progress

Commission president’s micromanagement linked to broader failure to advance bloc’s agenda

Ursula von der Leyen, president of the European Commission, in Canberra, Australia, on Tuesday, March 24, 2026.Photographer: Hilary Wardhaugh/Bloomberg

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By Suzanne Lynch

May 12, 2026 at 1:01 PM UTC

Welcome to the Brussels Edition. I’m Suzanne Lynch, Bloomberg’s Brussels bureau chief, bringing you the latest from the EU each weekday. Make sure you’re signed up.

From the top floor of the European Commission building in Brussels, Ursula von der Leyen runs a tight ship.