EU Commission President Von der Leyen Sidelined by Pneumonia

EU Commission President Von der Leyen Battles Pneumonia, Postpones Key Engagements

Brussels, Belgium – European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen has been sidelined by a severe case of pneumonia, forcing her to cancel all travel plans for the first two weeks of January.

The news, announced Friday by Commission spokesperson Stefan de Keersmaecker, comes as von der Leyen, 66, begins her second term leading the European Commission. Her new mandate commenced on December 1st.

“The president has canceled her external commitments during the first two weeks of January. she has a serious case of pneumonia,” de Keersmaecker stated.

Among the affected events are a planned speech in Lisbon and a trip to Gdansk, Poland, for the launch of Poland’s presidency of the Council of the European Union. The gdansk event will be rescheduled.Von der Leyen’s illness is a setback for the Commission President, who is facing a number of pressing issues in her second term, including the ongoing war in Ukraine and the economic challenges facing the European Union.

Pneumonia Sidelines Von der Leyen, Postponing Key EU Engagements

David: Did you hear about Ursula von der Leyen?

lisa: No, what’s going on? Is everything alright?

David: Apparently, she’s come down with a really bad case of pneumonia.

Lisa: Oh no, that’s terrible! I know she just started her second term as President of the European Commission. Can pneumonia be serious?

David: It can be,especially for someone her age. The Commission spokesperson said it’s a “serious case,” so they’ve had to cancel all her travel plans for the first two weeks of January.

Lisa: Wow, that’s a lot to postpone. What kind of events were on her schedule?

David: She was supposed to give a speech in Lisbon and then attend the kickoff event for Poland’s presidency of the Council of the European Union in Gdansk.

Lisa: That sounds notable. I imagine the Commission is hoping she recovers quickly.

David: Totally. There’s a lot on her plate right now – the war in ukraine,the European economy…

Lisa: Let’s hope she gets better soon. She’s got a lot of work to do.