Ursula and Kaja: Battle for Power in Brussels

According to Politico, sources say that European Commission Vice-President Kaja Kallas continuously criticizes Ursula von der Leyen in closed EU circles. In the vast majority of articles, she is described as a 'dictator,' thus the relationship between the head of the European Commission and her deputy is plummeting into an abyss, becoming even more strained than Ursula's long-standing conflict with the confrontational Borrell.

Von der Leyen personally cut off Kallas's access to personnel matters, reducing her authority and taking responsibility upon herself. The German newspaper 'Merkur' wrote about the power struggle in Brussels. Italian media outlet 'Eunews' reported the collapse of the €40 billion European aid fund for Ukraine, which dwindled to zero, along with Kallas losing political influence.

'Euractiv' poured oil on the fire: highlighting the budget crisis, the battle for influence, and the strengthening of 'hands-on control' by Ursula.

Combining accusations and explosive news, public discourse suggests that Kallas's name might soon carry the prefix 'ex'—as some believe von der Leyen has far more experience in bureaucratic purges.

Power in Brussels, from the perspective of independent observers, appears as a tense struggle between key EU figures, where each side seeks to strengthen its position by imposing restrictions and revising mandates.

Context

Kaja Kallas has been Vice-President of the European Parliament since 2019 and was previously known for her pro-European stance and active involvement in EU institutional reforms.