DiEM25 would like to dedicate this Europe Day, May 9, to the person who best exemplifies what Europe has become: unaccountable, militaristic, incompetent, scandalous: the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen.
For over a year, we’ve been calling for the resignation of Von der Leyen as President. Our petition, backed by more than 110,000 people so far, demands accountability for her disastrous leadership.
Today is the last day for people from around the world to sign this petition, before we present it to the European Commission, with the demand of Ursula von der Leyen’s removal from office.
Why does she deserve to go? Let’s start with her relentless push for war.
Von der Leyen has become the self-styled “Commander-in-Chief” of Europe. She’s turned the EU into a cheerleader for escalation – from Ukraine to Gaza – sidelining diplomacy, doubling down on arms spending, and dragging the EU deeper into global conflict. Her recent calls to shift EU funds into weapons manufacturing, coupled with her silence on Israeli war crimes in Gaza, paint the picture of a leader whose only tool is a hammer, and who sees every crisis as a nail.
As Germany’s Defence Minister, she was embroiled in a major scandal over shady defence contracts handed to external consultants without proper oversight. That investigation — which revealed a “system of nepotism” in her ministry — still casts a shadow over her record. Yet rather than face consequences, she was promoted to the top of the European Commission.
Then came COVID-19, and the shambles that was the vaccine procurement. Secretive text messages with the Pfizer CEO, billions of euros of public money negotiated behind closed doors – and to this day, no transparency, no accountability. She brushed off demands from the EU Ombudsman and the European Court of Auditors. Because when Von der Leyen is involved, rules don’t apply.
All of this underlines a deeper truth: the European Commission is not a democratic body. Ursula von der Leyen was never elected by Europe’s citizens. She was appointed through backroom deals, installed at the top of a system designed to be unaccountable.
Europe deserves better than a self-styled President who answers to no one. Better than a Commission that operates above scrutiny. Better than leaders who wage war in our name while hiding behind the EU flag.
This Europe Day, while EU institutions pat themselves on the back and talk of peace and unity, we’re calling out the hypocrisy at the top. Peace cannot be built by those who profit from war.
This is your last chance to make your voice heard.
So sign the petition now. Share it. Let Ursula von der Leyen know: Europe is not her private empire.
And then? We’re not done. We’ll be doing something with the signatures we’ve collected – stay tuned.
For now: add your name. Before it closes.
Let’s show them: Europe is watching.
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