Ursula von der Leaving: MEPs slam Commission chief for walking out of Hungary debate

STRASBOURG — Viktor Orbán ain’t the only one leaving the room.

MEPs denounced Commission President Ursula von der Leyen on Wednesday for walking out mid-way through a parliamentary debate during which she was questioned about her controversial decision to disburse billions of EU funding to Hungarian Prime Minister Orbán last month.

“The president of the European Commission — as she always does — listens to the first round of speakers, and then disappears. I find that utter disrespect to the European Parliament, and to her treaty duties,” said Sophie in ‘t Veld, a Dutch MEP who sits in the centrist Renew Europe group.

The German center-right leader of the EU executive gave a speech to the hemicycle in which she defended the move to release some €10 billion for Hungary before a summit of EU leaders last December at which they agreed to open EU membership talks with Ukraine — without the explicit approval of Orbán, who handily left the European Council room while the decision was taken.

“Last May, Hungary passed a new law on justice reform, that addresses a number of recommendations,” she said in her speech. “This was required for Hungary to meet the conditions for cohesion funds, this is what we requested, and this is what Hungary delivered.”

Around €20 billion of EU funds remain frozen, von der Leyen pointed out.

MEPs from across the political spectrum vented their rage at the Commission’s move, with many saying it is tantamount to giving in to blackmail from Orbán, who has been threatening to block EU funding for Ukraine.

But von der Leyen left the Parliament chamber in Strasbourg less than one hour into the two-and-a-half-hour debate, while MEPs were making their own short speeches. She left the task of replying to the MEPs to Commission Executive Vice President Maroš Šefčovič.

“The president left before the key debate and that’s shameful. What should citizens get from this?” Maria Grapini, a center-left Romanian lawmaker, asked.

“As in many previous debates she listened to the interventions of the group leaders,” said von der Leyen’s spokesperson Eric Mamer. “The Commission remains represented in the debate by its executive vice president.”

Von der Leyen is expected to meet Italy’s far-right Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni in Italy later Wednesday.

“The fact that Ms von der Leyen isn’t present … that’s an insult to the European Parliament,” said Greek far-left lawmaker Dimitrios Papadimoulis, who is one of the institution’s vice presidents.

Some MEPs, like German Green Daniel Freund, continued to address von der Leyen as if she were still in the room. “You allowed yourself to be blackmailed, you paid the biggest bribe in history,” he said, long after she’d left.

Von der Leyen made a similar move in October when she left before answering MEPs’ questions in order to get back to Brussels for a press conference with the Belgian and Swedish prime ministers after a terror attack.

European Council President Charles Michel was also expected to take part in Wednesday’s debate but pulled out earlier in the week citing back pain. Belgian Foreign Minister Hadja Labib replaced him.

European Parliament President Roberta Metsola also left the hemicycle during the debate, handing over the reins to German MEP and deputy speaker Rainer Wieland, who later passed on to Marc Angel.