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Ursula von der Leyen is in Strasbourg to deliver her eagerly anticipated, closely watched State of the European Union speech.
Known as SOTEU, the hour-long address marks the official start of the new working year for the bloc’s institutions. Its protagonist, the president of the European Commission, usually seizes the high-profile moment to recap landmark achievements, unveil fresh initiatives and set the political tone for the following 12 months.
But this time around, von der Leyen is poised for a reckoning.
Opposition to the president has deepened inside the European Parliament, as laid bare in the motion of censure she defied just before the summer break. That was the first time she faced a vote of no confidence, but it is unlikely to be the last: two separate motions of censure are being prepared by the radical left and the radical right.
Von der Leyen’s leadership has come under intense criticism over the EU-US trade deal, which has imposed a painful 15% tariff on the bloc’s exports while simultaneously lowering to zero duties for American products.
According to a recent poll, a majority of Europeans believe the lopsided agreement is a “humiliation” and want to see von der Leyen’s resignation as a result.
It marks a dramatic turnaround for the Commission chief, who, during her first mandate, forged an image of a reliable and efficient crisis manager.
Expect trade to feature prominently in the speech, alongside support for Ukraine, sanctions against Russia, transatlantic relations, the Middle East conflict, tensions with China, defence, competitiveness, cost of living, migration and climate change.
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