Divergent Views: Criticism and Praise for von der Leyen’s EU Leadership from Coalition MEP Petri Sarvamaa and Henna Virkkunen

MEP Petri Sarvamaa of the coalition has expressed his criticism of the European Union’s past five years under the current Commission’s leadership, stating that it has not strengthened the internal market or competitiveness. He believes that von der Leyen, a German and member of the center-right EPP party, who is the EPP’s candidate for leading the next Commission after the summer European elections, lacks experience and allowed others to seize power within the Commission, particularly in areas such as climate and the European green transition program Green Deal.

However, Sarvamaa sees a shift towards a more balanced approach, with reports commissioned on the internal market, competitiveness, and preparedness. In contrast, MEP Henna Virkkunen disagrees with Sarvamaa and praises von der Leyen’s handling of crises over the past five years, such as the corona pandemic and the war in Ukraine.

Overall, there seems to be a difference of opinion within