Ursula von der Leyen can run, but can she also hide?

The European Commission president is running for re-election without campaigning and has shunned media questions and debates

European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen: Frustrated opponents are starting to taunt her as the invisible candidate. Picture: AP/Geert Vanden Wijngaert

Ursula von der Leyen became president of the European Commission in a backroom deal in 2019 without facing Europe’s voters. Now she is running for re-election almost without campaigning. 

The former German defence minister, 65, was chosen unopposed last month as lead candidate of the centre-right European People’s Party for the European parliament elections in June, although she does not plan to take a seat in the EU legislature.