Von der Leyen Recovers from Illness to Back Germany’s Merz

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Von der Leyen Hospitalized with Severe Pneumonia, Returns to Action

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen was briefly hospitalized for a severe case of pneumonia. During her recovery, she worked remotely from her home in Hannover. On Friday, she made a public appearance at the Christian Democratic Union (CDU) headquarters in Berlin. She was joined by nine heads of government and six opposition leaders from her center-right European People’s Party (EPP).

While convalescing, von der Leyen was reportedly in “daily contact” with her teams in Brussels, according to the Commission’s press service. However, it was only after her recuperation and return home that the hospitalization itself was disclosed.

The Commission president is not anticipated to address the public during the two-day event in Berlin. An EPP official, speaking on condition of anonymity, explained that “it is not abnormal that the European Commission president is not participating” in the press briefing.

Despite her limited public presence, von der Leyen is expected to endorse an EPP action plan alongside other party leaders. The initiative is designed to bolster CDU leader Friedrich Merz’s chances ahead of the upcoming February 23 election. Merz is set to face incumbent center-left Chancellor Olaf Scholz and far-right candidate Alice Weidel.

For Merz, the event is a critical opportunity to highlight his connections to influential European figures. Meanwhile, Manfred Weber, chair of the EPP and a member of the CDU’s Bavarian sister party, the Christian Social Union (CSU), sees the gathering as a platform to showcase his ability to unite party allies.

Speaking to Berlin Playbook, Weber expressed confidence in shaping a new era of German influence in Brussels under Merz’s leadership. A CDU/CSU-led federal government would “once again speak with one voice in Europe ― that is what Friedrich Merz stands for,” Weber stated. He emphasized that internal disagreements between governing partners should be resolved domestically in Berlin, not aired publicly on the European stage.

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