Ursula von der Leyen
President of the European Commission | Leading Europe's transition to carbon neutrality
About
Ursula von der Leyen is a German politician and physician who has served as President of the European Commission since 2019, making her the first woman to hold this position. Before leading the European Union's executive arm, she served in the German federal government for 14 years between 2005 and 2019, holding various cabinet positions under Angela Merkel, most recently as Federal Minister for Defence.
As a member of the centre-right Christian Democratic Union (CDU) and the European People's Party (EPP), von der Leyen has been instrumental in shaping Europe's ambitious climate agenda. She has championed the European Green Deal, positioning the continent to become the world's first carbon-neutral region.
Her leadership combines her medical background with extensive political experience, bringing a unique perspective to complex policy challenges. In 2024, she was elected as the EPP's Spitzenkandidat for the European Parliament elections and was subsequently re-elected to head the Commission, reinforcing her role as a key architect of Europe's future.
What Ursula Talks About
Europe's plan to become the first carbon-neutral continent
The European Green Deal and sustainable transformation
Digital sovereignty and Europe's technological independence
Geopolitical leadership and European unity
Healthcare policy and pandemic preparedness
Featured1 with video
Europe's plan to become the first carbon-neutral continent
With the ambitious goal of becoming the first carbon-neutral continent by 2050, the European Union has committed to creating a greener world for future generations. In this bold talk, Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission, details the challenges and opportunities that come with transitioning an entire continent to clean energy -- and shows why fixing climate change calls for everyone to take action.
Ursula von der Leyen at Web Summit Vancouver 2026
| Event | Year | Location |
|---|---|---|
| Web Summit Vancouver | 2026 | |
| Countdown 2020 | 2020 | 🇬🇧Edinburgh, United Kingdom |
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