In this episode, we examine the controversial political career of Ursula von der Leyen, from her time as Germany’s Defense Minister to her current role as President of the European Commission.
The Consultant AffairWe look back at her tenure in Berlin, where she faced scrutiny over improperly awarded defense contracts to external consultants. The controversy deepened with the deletion of official mobile phone data, a move that obstructed investigations and drew heavy criticism over transparency and accountability.
Pfizergate and EU LeadershipAs European Commission President, von der Leyen now faces fresh questions about the transparency of COVID-19 vaccine procurement. At the center of the storm: private text messages exchanged with Pfizer’s CEO, which a court has ordered to be disclosed but remain unseen.
This episode unpacks the broader implications of these controversies and what they reveal about governance, accountability, and leadership in the EU.
Popular Podcasts
Stuff You Should Know
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.
Dateline NBC
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Special Summer Offer: Exclusively on Apple Podcasts, try our Dateline Premium subscription completely free for one month! With Dateline Premium, you get every episode ad-free plus exclusive bonus content.
On Purpose with Jay Shetty
I’m Jay Shetty host of On Purpose the worlds #1 Mental Health podcast and I’m so grateful you found us. I started this podcast 5 years ago to invite you into conversations and workshops that are designed to help make you happier, healthier and more healed. I believe that when you (yes you) feel seen, heard and understood you’re able to deal with relationship struggles, work challenges and life’s ups and downs with more ease and grace. I interview experts, celebrities, thought leaders and athletes so that we can grow our mindset, build better habits and uncover a side of them we’ve never seen before. New episodes every Monday and Friday. Your support means the world to me and I don’t take it for granted — click the follow button and leave a review to help us spread the love with On Purpose. I can’t wait for you to listen to your first or 500th episode!