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Ursula von der Leyen

The first female President of the European Commission, who has been criticised for the EU’s response to Covid-19 and blamed for a delay in getting people vaccinated.

Brexit, Coronavirus and now ‘Sofagate’. It's been a challenging year for the first female President of the European Commission, who’s been criticised for the EU’s response to Covid-19 and blamed for a delay in getting people jabbed. Now, the organisation she heads is suing vaccine manufacturer, AstraZeneca, over delays in supplying doses. This week, she told the European parliament how she'd been left standing during a recent meeting in Turkey, because she is a woman. Her male counterparts took the only chairs available. Mark Coles profiles the Brussels-born German politician whose passion for the job means she lives, works and sleeps in the office.

Presenter: Mark Coles
Producer: Sally Abrahams
Editor: Alex Lewis

Available now

14 minutes

Last on

Sun 2 May 2021 17:40

Broadcasts

  • Sat 1 May 2021 19:00
  • Sun 2 May 2021 05:45
  • Sun 2 May 2021 17:40

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