BRUSSELS – “I felt alone as a woman, as a president and as a European”. Convened by the group leaders of the European Parliament, Ursula von der Leyen and Charles Michel give their version on the “sofagate” of Ankara. The German is still very hard, cold, speaks of “humiliation” and “loneliness” in the face of the attitude of the colleague who – together with Erdogan – remains seated while she, the woman, remains standing, forced to sit on a sofa at a distance by the two males. Michel apologizes to the leaders of the political parties in Strasbourg, but does not guarantee his presence in the plenary at the Eurochamber in two weeks, when the two presidents will have to report in the classroom. In those days, European sources explain, the former Belgian prime minister is planning a trip to Congo. The news begins to circulate, greeted by the amazement of MEPs: if Michel does not cancel the trip, his position will worsen further.
Michel looks for von der Leyen, but she doesn’t answer: the “sofa-gate” shakes the leaders of Europe
by our correspondent Alberto D’Argenio
The number one of the European Parliament, David Sassoli, opens the session with the group leaders, von der Leyen and Michel, underlining that the one broadcast on April 6 in Ankara is a lesson on the fact that “European foreign policy must be more coordinated, with a strategic vision “. Michel takes the floor and apologizes several times: “It was a moment, I didn’t know how to make the right decision”, justifies himself. Yet the suspicion remains, for many a certainty, that instead the president knew about the distribution of the chairs and therefore remained seated, rather than giving way to his colleague and avoiding her humiliation in front of Erdogan. The motive, it is the most accredited hypothesis in Brussels, would be to have wanted to demonstrate the primacy in foreign policy of the president of the European Council – the summits of the prime ministers of the Union – over that of the Euro-government.
Sofagate, Michel speaks: “I’m sorry, it takes me away from sleep”
Von der Leyen takes the floor after his colleague, remembers that Articles 15 and 17 of the Treaty put the institutions of the Union on an equal footing and then, in fact, says: “I felt humiliated, I felt alone as a woman, as president and as a European “. The German frames the incident, which Michel has declassified as a protocol, in the question of “gender”, also linked to Ankara’s withdrawal from the Istanbul Convention. As if to say, not only did Michel humiliate his colleague, but he also lent himself to the macho game of Erdogan who abandoned the international treaty against violence against women, precisely one of the points of friction with Europe.
First meeting between Von der Leyen and Michel after the sofa-gate: “Never again similar situations”
by our correspondent Alberto D’Argenio
In the end, they both commit to working to better coordinate overseas visits and avoid accidents in the future. But according to some sources, Michel is more elusive on the point. And above all, unlike Ursula, she does not confirm her presence in the European Parliament at the end of April, when relations with Turkey will be discussed. The occasion imagined by the group leaders to invite the two presidents to report to the elected officials of the incident in Ankara. In fact, European sources explain, in those days Michel is planning a trip to Africa, which will also take him to Congo. And at the moment it hasn’t canceled it. If he does not, the irritation towards him will grow – if possible – even more.
Meanwhile, Sassoli snatches a smile from von der Leyen: after the meeting with the group leaders he invites her to his office and as he enters he says: “Here there are only sofas!”. She looks around, and notices that in fact to the left of the front door there are three sofas arranged around a coffee table. The corner where the president welcomes distinguished guests. Ursula releases the tension in laughter.
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