Politico: Ursula von der Leyen Will Not Seek a Third Term

According to Politico, Ursula von der Leyen’s chief of staff, Bjoern Seibert, told senior officials during a private dinner that the President of the European Commission does not intend to seek a third term in office. The publication cited two sources familiar with the matter. According to those sources, the statement was made to ease concerns that the ongoing restructuring of Commission departments could be aimed at further centralizing power in the hands of the Commission President. Media reports have suggested that von der Leyen may have been behind a proposed reform of the EU’s External Action Service, currently headed by Kaja Kallas. “Ursula von der Leyen is fully focused on her current mandate and on the key challenges facing Europe today. This includes the G7 Summit and this week’s meeting of the European Council,” a European Commission spokesperson told Politico when asked about her plans regarding a potential third term. Ursula von der Leyen assumed the position of President of the European Commission in 2019, becoming the first woman to hold the office in the history of the European Union. She was re-elected in 2024 for a second five-year term. Among her priorities for the period through 2029 is strengthening the EU’s defense capabilities through increased spending and the expansion of military capacity.