There isn’t any want but to nominate a substitute for Ursula von der Leyen as she battles a extreme case of pneumonia, her spokesperson mentioned.
Ursula von der Leyen will proceed to hold out her regular duties as president of the European Commission and won’t but delegate any duties to a substitute as she battles a severe case of pneumonia.
The analysis prevented von der Leyen’s return to Brussels after the winter break and led to the cancellation of all his exterior assignments, together with all the College of Commissioners’ deliberate go to to Gdańsk to rejoice the beginning of Poland’s mandate. six-monthly presidency of the EU Council.
The Commission President is at the moment recovering in Hanover, Germany, and is predicted to return to the Belgian capital by mid-January.
“Pneumonia is a severe illness and should be taken significantly, and that’s what the president is doing,” Paula Pinho, the fee’s chief spokeswoman, mentioned Monday, updating reporters on the president’s well being.
“That mentioned, with tenacity and dedication as he’s, he retains the enterprise working. He is in each day contact along with his crew,” the spokesperson added.
Von der Leyen had a cellphone name with Georgia Meloni earlier than the Italian prime minister flew to Florida to fulfill US President-elect Donald Trump on Saturday, Pinho mentioned for instance.
“For the second there isn’t a have to designate the member of the College who will comply with the substitute order,” he added.
Under the hierarchy established by von der Leyen initially second time periodsubsequent to imagine her duties could be Teresa Ribera, govt vice chairman for a clear, honest and aggressive transition.
If von der Leyen have been to be unable to host the weekly assembly of the College, which takes place each Wednesday, Ribera could be referred to as upon to switch her. Ribera might tackle extra obligations if the incapacity worsens.
No College assembly is scheduled this week.
“Next week we’ll see,” Pinho mentioned. “Depending on what the president’s progress is, we are going to see if she will return or there can be a substitute.”
When requested in regards to the go to to Gdańsk, beforehand scheduled for January 9 and 10, the spokesperson clarified that no new date had been determined with the Polish authorities.
It is a long-standing custom for all the College of Commissioners to journey collectively to the nation holding the rotating presidency within the first weeks of the mandate.
Last yr von der Leyen broke with the earlier yr canceled his look in Budapest in response to Viktor Orbán’s controversial “peace mission”, which noticed the Hungarian prime minister meet Vladimir Putin in Moscow and sparked a barrage of criticism. Von der Leyen then described Orbán’s diplomacy as a “pacification mission”.
Pneumonia is an an infection that inflames the air sacs of 1 or each lungs and causes coughing with phlegm, fever, chills, and issue respiration, amongst different signs. The severity of the illness ranges from delicate to life-threatening. People over the age of 65, like von der Leyen, who’s 66, are at larger danger of creating a extreme case.
