Ursula von der Leyen
Who was Ursula von der Leyen?
German politician and physician who became the first woman to serve as President of the European Commission in 2019. She previously served as Germany's Defense Minister from 2013 to 2019.
Biographical data adapted from Wikipedia’s article on Ursula von der Leyen (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Biography
Ursula Gertrud von der Leyen was born on October 8, 1958, in Ixelles, Brussels, to German parents. Her father, Ernst Albrecht, was one of the first European civil servants, which introduced her to European politics and institutions early on. She grew up speaking both German and French and moved to Germany in 1971 when her father got involved in German politics. Her bilingual upbringing and international outlook later played a key role in her European political career.
Von der Leyen studied at several renowned institutions. She graduated from the London School of Economics in 1978 before pursuing medical studies at German universities such as Hannover Medical School, University of Göttingen, Leibniz University Hannover, and University of Münster. She earned her medical license from Hanover Medical School in 1987. After marrying fellow doctor Heiko von der Leyen, they spent four years in the United States in the 1990s, where she gained more international experience while raising their family.
She returned to Germany in the late 1990s and started her political career in local Hanover politics. Her swift rise continued when she joined the Lower Saxony state government as a cabinet minister from 2003 to 2005. In 2005, she moved to federal politics as part of Angela Merkel’s cabinet, first serving as Minister for Family Affairs and Youth. Her role expanded when she became Minister for Labour and Social Affairs from 2009 to 2013, and then Germany's first female Minister for Defence from 2013 to 2019.
In 2019, von der Leyen made history by becoming the first woman to lead the European Commission as President. This was an important moment for European politics and gender representation in top roles. As a member of the centre-right Christian Democratic Union (CDU) and the European People's Party (EPP), she has managed complex European issues like Brexit, the COVID-19 pandemic, and geopolitical tensions. In March 2024, the EPP chose her as their lead candidate for the European Parliament elections, and she was re-elected as Commission head in July 2024, continuing her leadership of the EU's executive branch.
Before Fame
Growing up in Brussels as the daughter of a European civil servant, von der Leyen was exposed to European politics early in life. Her father, Ernst Albrecht, worked on European integration in the 1960s and early 1970s. When her family moved to Germany in 1971, she saw her father shift to German state politics, giving her insights into both European and national political systems.
Her path to becoming a doctor showed the era's growing opportunities for women in professional jobs. In the 1970s and 1980s, more women were attending medical schools across Europe, and von der Leyen's education at several German universities showed her academic excellence and determination. She lived in the United States for four years in the 1990s, coinciding with her early years of raising a family, a time when many women found it challenging to balance career goals with family duties. This experience later influenced her political focus on family policy and work-life balance.
Key Achievements
- First woman to serve as President of the European Commission (2019-present)
- First woman to serve as Germany's Federal Minister of Defence (2013-2019)
- Served continuously in Angela Merkel's cabinet for 14 years across three ministerial positions
- Re-elected as European Commission President in 2024 after leading the EPP campaign
- Successfully navigated the EU through major crises including Brexit and the COVID-19 pandemic
Did You Know?
- 01.She received the satirical 'language adulterator award' twice, in 2014 and 2021, for her use of political jargon and bureaucratic language
- 02.Von der Leyen was awarded the BigBrotherAwards in both 2009 and 2017 for privacy and surveillance-related policies
- 03.She was the only minister to serve continuously in Angela Merkel's cabinet from 2005 until Merkel stepped down as chancellor
- 04.Her family lived in California for four years in the 1990s while her husband completed medical research
- 05.She was included in both Time 100 and BBC 100 Women lists in 2022, recognizing her global influence
Family & Personal Life
Awards & Honors
| Award | Year | Details |
|---|---|---|
| language adulterator award | 2014 | — |
| BigBrotherAwards | 2017 | — |
| BigBrotherAwards | 2009 | — |
| Knight Grand Cross of the Order for Merits to Lithuania | — | — |
| language adulterator award | 2021 | — |
| Order of Prince Yaroslav the Wise, 1st class | 2022 | — |
| BBC 100 Women | 2022 | — |
| Time 100 | 2022 | — |
| National Order of Mali | — | — |
| Order of Saint Panteleimon | 2024 | — |
| honorary doctor of the University of Toulouse | 2023 | — |
| Order for Merits to Lithuania | — | — |
| Charlemagne Prize | 2025 | — |