Ursula von der Leyen calls out Turkey's blatant sexist 'sofagate' snub

"I cannot find any justification for how I was treated in any European Treaties, so I have to conclude that it happened because I am a woman. Would this have happened if I had worn a suit and a tie?"

European Commission President Ursula von der asked: Would this have happened if I had worn a suit and a tie? Picture: AP 

The European Union’s first female chief executive has vowed to fight for women’s rights after she was denied a chair during a meeting in Ankara with Turkey’s President Tayyip Erdogan two weeks ago.

Speaking to the European Parliament, a visibly angry Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said the April 6 episode - where she was relegated to an adjacent sofa while Erdogan and European Council President Charles Michel sat in prepared chairs - showed disdain for female politicians.