EU Says Von Der Leyen Recovering from Pneumonia, to Resume Travels Next Week

German politician was in hospital for about a week

Mon Jan 13 2025
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BRUSSELS: European Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen — recovering from pneumonia — hopes to resume her travels in a week, her office said Monday, as it fought off accusations of a lack of transparency about her health.

While the commission announced on January 3 that von der Leyen was sick, it failed to mention she had been treated in hospital until the fact was revealed by German agency DPA on Friday.

Her office subsequently confirmed that the German politician, 66, was in hospital for about a week and was now carrying out her duties from her home city of Hanover.

Pressed by reporters on the failure to spontaneously disclose von der Leyen’s hospital stay, her chief spokeswoman Paula Pinho insisted the EU chief’s “ability to act was never in question”, adding that she “was never on a respirator or in intensive care”.

Von der Leyen is now “recovering well. She is at her house in Hanover”, Pinho told reporters in Brussels, adding: “The president expects to resume her external appointments by the end of this week.”

She will take part in the World Economic Forum in the Swiss Alpine resort of Davos that begins January 20 and will also be in Strasbourg for the European Parliament plenary session the same week, the spokeswoman said.

Von der Leyen will be in Poland on February 6 and 7 after she had to postpone a previously scheduled visit.  Her vice president Teresa Ribera will however lead a meeting of commissioners Wednesday.

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