The most powerful woman in the world is not elected

2024 is the big election year, as we all know. Not only the big, scarry US presidential elections in November, there are numerous other important elections taking place or having taken place in many other parts of the world.

All member countries go to elect their representatives for the EU Parliament on 6-9 June 2024. According to the most reliable prognoses, there will be a shift to the right in the parliament, but not enough to change the current situation with a center-right coalition in charge. This would likely also mean that the incumbent President of the Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, may continue in that position for the next term.

 

Ursula von der Leyen is not up for the public vote neither for the European (EU) Parliament nor for her current position as president of the EU Commission. Democratic deficit. She is by the way not currently an elected member of the EU Parliament. She was hand-picked directly from outside the parliament as a compromise solution to solve a deadlock between other, elected, candidates. She has also decided not to run for a place in the parliament this time, allthough that is the natural and totally feasible route. She prefers the non-election route which has served her well until now. So if her position is reconfirmed, she will sit as unelected president of the Commission for the second y-year term.

It has been questioned from many parties and persons why the Commission should be chaired by a non-elected politician. However, this was passed over by the heads of member states governments and untimately by the parliament itself when they approved it. For many politicians and voters, this process looks undemocratic. It is, however, completely legal. Only that it is often seen as a sign of democratic deficit at the highest level of the EU.

We note that according to Forbes, Ursula von der Leyen is the most powerful woman in the world. She was no. 1 on the list in 2022 and 2023.

The most powerful woman in the world is not elected.