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We can assume that Ursula von der Lein is looking forward to her summer holidays.
In July, as a rule, a month of low intensity in politics in Brussels was nothing more than a tornado for the President of the European Commission, with decisions and key points that could change the course of its five years.
No one expected that its second term would be an easy task, of course, not after the victory of Donald Trump, a person whose beliefs are in direct contrast to protect the block of predictable rules, open markets and international cooperation.
Nevertheless, the events of the last five weeks, a powerful mixture of internal disagreements, global riots and personal control, hacked the strictly controlled image of the president and made it vulnerable to some caustic criticism, which was previously avoided.
This is how the summer von der Lane has become tougher and gloomy.
First the movement to implement
Von der Lien never had an extremely harmonious relationship with the European parliament. European healthcares systematically protested against the president’s well -known preferences in order to deal with the member states, real holders of political power and his perceived tendency to take the semicircle of the second grade.
The tension and dissatisfaction was silent for several months, when the cruel legislator, the Romanians George Paiphera, developed a request for condemnation against the European commission and managed to provide the necessary 72 signatures in order to put it on the vote.
Piperea proposal, which united Scandal with Pfizergate With conspiracies for electoral intervention, he never had realistic chances of success. Overloaded movement Finally was rejected With 360 votes against and 175 in favor.
But arithmetic was not a question.
The proposal brought von der Layen to a rare position of the competition. The head of the committee He was forced To encounter one after another, Piperea, rejecting them as “false accusations” and “dark conspiracies”.
Socialists, liberals and green, who all supported their interruptions last year, took advantage of the moment to facilitate their disappointment and launch a list of categories, raising serious questions about the viability of the central coalition.
“I will always be ready to discuss any problem that this house wants, with events and arguments,” he said, offering an olive branch for “unity”.
The epic polarized the parliament and weakened von der Lane. It is extremely important that Meps proves how relatively it is relatively easy to submit a condemnation petition. Manon Obri, the composition of the left, Started He collects signatures for new efforts.
Then the budget
Wounded by the control movement, von der Leyen changed the speed to focus on what, as expected, will become its largest announcement this year: the long-awaited proposal of the committee for the next seven-year budget (2028-2034).
It was a great opportunity for von der Lane to demonstrate his political gravity, remake the debate and turn the page to a bitter vote.
As in the case, this proposal was tarnished with internal disputes about the total budget size, restructuring programs and financial distribution for any priority.
Her innovative idea of uniting agricultural funds and cohesion funds in One budget He leaked in advance and caused immediate criticism of a strong agricultural lobby. OR Trend Council of Council For secrecy Let other commissars seek to understand how much money they will have in their portfolios in the future.
By the time von der Lane revealed Budget 2 trillion eurosThe largest of those presented, the attention was divided between his innovative plan and the drama in the background, which lasted all night until the last meeting.
During the press conference, the president accepted the embarrassing question of whether he faced its 26 commissioners with justice and respect.
“Not everyone was satisfied,” she said, explaining the consultations one by one.
“There is strong support. A collective decision is made. And now we must fight to bring this budget further over the next two years. ”
Summit
“Unstable.”
Thus, the officials of the commission described the state of relations between the EC-Kita due to the bilateral high-risk summit in Beijing.
The generous use of state subsidies in China to strengthen internal production, despite the lack of internal demand for its absorption, caused Anger of Brusselswho are afraid that an intensive race can decorate European industry. Beijing’s decision to reduce critical raw materials, prevent access to the market for foreign enterprises and continue “partnership without restrictions” with the addition of Moscow to accumulated tension.
Despite the urgency for tangible changes, Ursula von der Lein left the summit with several things to showThe field appeared a new obligation to cope with the difficulties in providing rare earth elements and a joint statement of climatic actions. In addition, progress was not achieved, and the main friction points remained demonic.
“We got to a clear turning point,” said von der Leyen to reporters.
“As we said in the Chinese leadership, to remain mutually beneficial, it should become more balanced. Europe welcomes competition. But this should be fair. “
The disappointing summit assumes that the Es-Kita relations will remain contradictory in the near future, catching von der Lein between two dangerous roads: to answer and take risks opposing Beijing anger or the assignment of a proposal.
“Thanks to the inspections, his rare earth, China gave Europe the taste of chaos, which could cause if a commercial battle is lit,” wrote Noah Barkin, senior colleague from the German Marshall Foundation, in his last information ballot.
“But if Europe does not react vigorously, throwing all its defensive tools in China, long damage to its industrial base will probably be deep.”
And finally, an agreement
The admiration of Ursula von der Lane in the transatlantic alliance encountered the most tiring test on April 2, 2025, when Donald Trump proposed his contradictory “mutual” duties to revise the financial order on his own.
This fatal day caused painful negotiations to save the export unit from Trump’s broad duties. Apply its ultimatum Horizontal factor 30%Which was indicated in a letter addressed to von der Leyen, caused a tangible panic in all Brussels.
With the deadline of August 1, he approached closer and closer, the head of the commission flew to Scotland and met Trump in the last attempt to seal the agreement.
From these conversations appeared agreement For the implementation of a 15% duty for most EU products and 0% of duties in most US products. In addition, this block took on temporary obligations to spend amazing $ 750 billion for American energy and invest $ 600 billion on the US market until the end of Trump.
Protkri was Strong and fast: Critics talked about surrender, humiliation and submission to condemn the extremely unambiguous nature of the agreement, which codified the highest responsibilities that have been observing transit trading for more than 70 years.
Von der Leyen, who had just opposed Beijing, was difficult to explain why she offered such extensive concessions to satisfy Trump.
“15% should not be underestimated, but this is the best that we could achieve,” he said.
The deal, which de -phactor is unfavorable for the block, eliminates the brilliance from the reputation of von der Lajzhen as a reliable chief manager and threatens to become a painful spike in the second period, which is designed to determine the priorities of competitiveness and growth.
In the end, this may be comforted by the fact that none of the 27 EU leaders seem to have the courage to dismantle the deal and start negotiations from the very beginning.
“Europe does not yet consider itself power,” said French President Emmanuel Macron. “To be free, they should be afraid of you. We were not enough scared. ”