Is Von Der
Leyen using the mediocre Costa and neutralizing the Council to become the
Supreme leader of the EU?
No,
Ursula von der Leyen cannot become the "Supreme Leader" of the EU, as the European Union is a union of
sovereign states where ultimate power resides with member governments, not the
Commission. However, her highly centralized leadership style and the shifting
dynamic with European Council President António Costa have sparked intense
debate about the concentration of power in Brussels.
The evolving
institutional power dynamics break down as follows:
The
"Dynamic Duo" vs. The Past
- An Era of Cooperation: Unlike her famously combative
relationship with former Council President Charles Michel, von der Leyen
and Costa have established a highly cooperative, frictionless working
relationship. Costa has openly described their dynamic as a
"wonderful" friendship built on years of collaboration.
- No "Neutralization": Costa is a seasoned political
operator and former Prime Minister of Portugal. Rather than being
neutralized, his diplomatic, consensus-driven style is viewed by EU
capitals as a necessary mechanism to quietly rebalance power and smoothly
negotiate tough dossiers, like the multi-year EU budget.
Accusations
of a Power Grab
- Centralized Decision-Making: Critics and diplomats
frequently push back against von der Leyen, accusing her of acting like a
"prime minister" and pushing unilateral decisions without
seeking broad consensus.
- Bypassing Capitals: Major policy moves—such as
pushing forward the Mercosur trade deal despite French opposition, or
implementing duties on Chinese electric vehicles despite German
frustration—have exasperated EU capitals who feel sidelined.
- Foreign Policy Friction: Despite their close alliance,
Costa and von der Leyen do not completely overlap. They have struck
diverging tones on foreign policy, with Costa leaning more heavily on
strict adherence to international rules and multilateralism than von der
Leyen’s unilateral geopolitical approach.
Hard
Institutional Limits
- Veto Power: The ultimate check on von der
Leyen remains the European Council itself. National leaders retain veto
power over key areas like foreign policy, defense, and taxation.
- Backlash: Member states regularly push
back when the Commission oversteps. For instance, EU capitals threatened
legal action when the Commission attempted to grant the European
Parliament extra powers, proving that national governments strictly police
the balance of power
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