HOW URSULA VON DER LEYEN GOT THE ULTIMATE FAMILY-FRIENDLY DO-OVER

Von der Leyen's team is highlighting her 'traditional, conservative family values'
Her campaign says a 'personal' element is needed in her bid for reappointment

Ursula von der Leyen is rebranding as a family-first conservative as she makes a bid to be reappointed as head of the European Commission.

Von der Leyen's public image had previously been crafted to depict her as a 'competent' and 'diligent' politician who was dedicated in her role as President of the Commission.

But her public relations team has now moved to makeover her image after recent polling suggested that anti-EU populists will dominate in the election next month, The Sunday Telegraph reported.

Von der Leyen's team is positioning her as a grandmother with 'traditional, conservative family values', a stark contrast to the reputation she developed as a pandemic-hardened crisis manager.

'As a mother of seven, I want my children's children to grow in a safe, prosperous Europe,' she touts on her campaign website. The same line has also been used in several speeches and at the first debate.

The new campaign is not the first time von der Leyen has put her family values on public display.

Nearly three years ago, after the birth of her first grandchild, she posted a photo holding the infant that was captioned '#ProudGrandma'.

The image, which was shared not even 18 months into her role as President, offered a rare glimpse into von der Leyen's personal life.

Her social media feed was typically filled with photographs alongside colleagues at international gatherings or other prominent political events.

The feed was cleansed of pictures highlighting her so-called fun side, including a snap of actor Hugh Jackman scooping her out of a wheelie bin during an appearance on a talk show while she served as Germany's family minister.

But her followers can soon expect to see more into her private life, her campaign's chief spokesman Alexander Winterstein has said, noting that a 'personal' element is important in her bid to be reappointed.

'People know her as Commission president,' he told the newspaper. 'What people may know less about is who she actually is as a person. Who is Ursula von der Leyen?'

Von der Leyen remains the favourite to be selected by EU leaders, but she will also need majority approval from MEPs in the European Parliament.

In recent months, the President has seemingly made subtle changes to her policies in an apparent attempt to appeal more to right-wing political groups.

Experts suspect that her centre-right European People's Party, which has gradually become more right-leaning, may need support of the European Conservatives and Reformists (ECR) group to form a conservative bloc in the European Parliament.

2024-05-05T11:57:04Z dg43tfdfdgfd