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

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.

My visit to Turkey showed how far we still have to go before women are treated as equals. Always. Everywhere.

My story made headlines. But there are so many stories of women, most of them far more serious, that go unobserved.

We have to make sure these stories are also told!

— Ursula von der Leyen (@vonderleyen) April 26, 2021

In a statement to the European Parliament, she said: "I am the first woman to be president of the European Commission. I am the President of the European Commission. This is how I expected to be treated when visiting Turkey two weeks ago, like a Commission President. But I was not.

"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?

Video footage from the meeting of the Ankara visit went viral as it shows von der Leyen clearly taken aback when the two men sat on the only two chairs prepared, relegating her to an adjacent sofa.

Mrs von der Leyen appeared visibly taken aback clearing her throat with an audible "ahem" to make her discomfort known.

"In pictures of previous meetings I did not see any shortage of chairs but then again I did not see any pictures of women neither," she told the chamber.

Addressing female MEPs directly, President von der Leyen said: "You know exactly how I felt. I felt hurt, and I felt alone, as a woman and a European.

"It is not about seating arrangements or protocol. 

This goes to the core of who we are. 

"This goes to the values our Union stands for, and this shows how far we still have to go to before women are treated as equals, always and everywhere."

Speaking to parliament, Michel again expressed his regret over the situation, which he said he understood offended many women. 

He also told lawmakers that deeper economic ties with Turkey were difficult because of a deterioration of basic rights and freedoms in Turkey, including those of women.