GENEVA, May 29. /TASS/. The European Union needs a strong, charismatic leader now more than ever, but European Commission (EC) President Ursula von der Leyen lacks the gravitas to play that role, Neue Zuercher Zeitung (NZZ) wrote.
"Despite her expanding her power and the fact that the Union led by her is faced with historic tasks, Ursula von der Leyen lacks the charisma. Meanwhile, the EU has never needed a woman with genuine qualities of a statesman more than it does now," the Swiss newspaper reported.
According to it, the EC president "is tightening her grip on control and power more than others and stronger than in her first term." Nevertheless, she "possesses neither the charisma of an Iron Lady" like former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, nor is she "a maternal figure" like former German Chancellor Angela Merkel, the newspaper argues.
However, multiple loud statements from von der Leyen "often remain empty words," the newspaper continued. These include pledges of an accelerated accession to the EU for Ukraine of the idea of deploying European troops to Ukraine. That rhetoric turned out to be "mere illusions as it was not coordinated with member countries," NZZ concluded.