EU scrambles to prepare for a Trump return  – POLITICO

EU scrambles to prepare for a Trump return  – POLITICO

The meetings, first reported by POLITICO’s Brussels Playbook, come as the fear of former U.S. President Trump returning to the White House permeates the highest echelons of power in Europe’s capital. Small groups of the 27 EU countries’ ambassadors met Thursday and Friday with Brussels’ top officials, including European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen’s … Read more

Don’t assume von der Leyen is coming back – POLITICO

Don’t assume von der Leyen is coming back – POLITICO

“A big part of it is the arrogance of power,” the EU official continued. “She mistakenly thought she could get away with everything. So some smaller mistakes are now being used against her.” Like other officials quoted in this article, the EU official was granted anonymity to speak freely about the powerful German politician within the … Read more

Von der Leyen picks campaign team for run at second term as EU Commission chief – POLITICO

Von der Leyen picks campaign team for run at second term as EU Commission chief – POLITICO

Von der Leyen’s campaign spokesperson will be Alexander Winterstein, currently a senior civil servant in the Commission’s communications directorate-general — a sharp transition into party politics that could raise some eyebrows. Winterstein was promoted to his present role in the EU executive from an earlier position at the directorate-general for competition policy when the center-right … Read more