Ursula von der Leyen is suffering from (Image: Getty)
, the President of the , has been forced to cancel her appointments for the next fortnight after being diagnosed with “severe pneumonia”, her office has announced.
Spokesman Stefan De Keersmaeker said her agenda had to be cleared of meetings in Lisbon and in Poland, which has just taken over the EU’s rotating presidency of the 27-nation .
In a statement, Mr De Keersmaeker said: “She is dealing with severe pneunomia.”
He offered no additional details about her conditions or how she fell ill.
Ms Von der Leyen, 66, who only recently started her second five-year stint at the top of the EU’s powerful executive office, has served in her current post since December 1, 2019.
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She is the first woman to hold this position, marking a significant milestone in the ‘s history. Her tenure has been characterised by a focus on climate policy, digital transformation, and global leadership, as well as managing the challenges posed by .
The 66-year-old’s father, Ernst Albrecht, was a high-ranking European Commission official and later Minister-President of Lower Saxony in Germany.
He studied economics at the University of Göttingen and later pursued medicine, earning her medical degree from the Hanover Medical School. Her professional journey began in the medical field before transitioning into politics.
During the course of her studies she also spent time at the LSE in London.
On 1st January 1995, Austria, Finland, and Sweden joined the European Union.Since then, they have enriched our European culture and way of life. And Europe has made them stronger.Happy 30 years in the EU family to Austrians, Finns and Swedes!
— Ursula von der Leyen (@vonderleyen)
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Ms Von der Leyen’s election as President of the European Commission came at a pivotal moment for the .
was dominating the political landscape, with the United Kingdom preparing to leave the EU after the 2016 referendum. Her presidency began just weeks before the UK officially exited the bloc on January 31, 2020.
In the context of , von der Leyen was involved negotiating the EU-UK relationship during the transition period and beyond. She worked closely with Michel Barnier, the EU’s chief negotiator, to secure the EU-UK Trade and Cooperation Agreement, which was finalised in December 2020.
She also emphasised the importance of maintaining unity among the remaining 27 member states and protecting the integrity of the single market while fostering a cooperative relationship with the UK.
Her most recent post, on X on Thursday, marked the 30th anniversary of Austria, Finland and Sweden joining the EU.
She said: “Since then, they have enriched our European culture and way of life.
“And Europe has made them stronger.
“Happy 30 years in the EU family to Austrians, Finns and Swedes!”