In a year marked by economic upheaval, war in Ukraine and the persistent Covid-19 pandemic, the European Commission’s first-ever female leader has stood steady and strong. ForbesWomen Read more:
elivering her annual state of the union address to the European Parliament in Strasbourg, France, in September, Ursula von der Leyen, the European Commission’s first female president, made a striking visual political statement. She was dressed in a bright yellow blazer and a royal blue blouse and, standing in front of the European Union’s 12 gold stars, she looked like a living, breathing Ukrainian flag.
Her support of Ukraine was swift and wide. Barely a week after Putin sent the first missiles sailing towards Kyiv in February, von der Leyen pledged to ban transactions from Russia’s central bank, close Europe’s skies to Russian planes and bar Kremlin-owned news agencies. In April, she became the highest-ranking EU official to visit Ukraine and meet with President Volodymyr Zelensky.
Von der Leyen’s background as a physician and a mother of seven may explain how she’s adept at quelling disharmony. Her first job was as a doctor at a women’s clinic in her native Germany. She didn’t enter politics until she was in her early 40s, then worked her way up from local offices to become federal minister of family affairs and youth in 2005, where she helped initiate critical reforms to Germany’s childcare system. From 2013 to 2019, she served as Germany’s first female defense minister.
South Africa Latest News, South Africa Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
European markets head for flat open as investors gauge China's Covid relaxation, oil movesEuropean markets are heading for a tepid open on Monday, bucking a positive trend in Asia-Pacific markets overnight.
Read more »
Family block 'urgent operation' for infant as authorities won't guarantee blood without COVID-19 vaccineNew Zealand authorities on Tuesday launched a battle for custody of an infant whose parents are blocking life-saving surgery because blood donors may have been vaccinated against COVID-19.
Read more »
Tripledemic: CDC director in Philly as COVID, RSV, flu cases riseTripledemic: Dr. Rochelle Walensky is encouraging people to be proactive and take preventative measures, such as wearing a mask, as respiratory illnesses surge.
Read more »
Conservative peer Michelle Mone to take leave of absence from LordsBaroness Mone has been linked to PPE Medpro, which won government Covid contracts.
Read more »