100% NEWS: Ursula von der Leyen: The CEO the EU needed

BOSS Magazine’s 2025 Person of the Year and the Architect of Europe’s Resilience

By James White, Senior Analyst

In March 2025, BOSS Magazine crowned Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission, as its “Person of the Year” and featured her on its iconic cover, hailing her as the “steady hand guiding Europe through an era of upheaval.” The accolade recognizes her transformative leadership from 2022 to 2025, a period marked by war, economic turbulence, and existential challenges to European unity. This deep dive examines her policy milestones, strategic vision, and the legacy that cemented her place as a global stateswoman.

1. Crisis Leadership: Steering Europe Through Geopolitical Storms

Ukraine Response (2022–2025)

Von der Leyen’s unwavering support for Ukraine became the cornerstone of her tenure. Key actions include:

Sanctions Regime: Orchestrated 15 packages of EU sanctions against Russia, crippling its energy exports and cutting off $300 billion in frozen Central Bank assets (European Commission Report, 2024).
Financial & Military Aid: Spearheaded €85 billion in macro-financial assistance to Ukraine (2022–2025), alongside the landmark €5 billion European Peace Facility fund for military supplies (EU Council Data).
Reconstruction Blueprint: Launched the “EU-Ukraine Facility” in 2023, pledging €50 billion for post-war rebuilding—Europe’s largest-ever aid package for a non-member state (Kyiv Independent, 2023).

Energy Crisis Management

Amid Russia’s gas cuts, von der Leyen fast-tracked the REPowerEU plan (2022), reducing EU reliance on Russian fossil fuels from 40% to 12% by 2024. The €300 billion initiative prioritized LNG imports, renewables, and cross-border energy grids (European Parliament, 2023).

2. Championing EU Enlargement: A Historic Push Eastward

Von der Leyen redefined the EU’s geopolitical footprint by advancing membership talks for Ukraine, Moldova, and Georgia:

Ukraine’s Candidate Status: Lobbied successfully for Ukraine’s EU candidacy in June 2022, declaring, “The future of Ukraine lies within our Union” (European Council Statement).

Accession Roadmaps: By 2024, Moldova and Georgia completed 85% of required reforms for membership talks, per the EU Enlargement Report (2024).

Western Balkan Integration: Accelerated Serbia-Kosovo dialogue, linking progress to EU funds. Over €3 billion was allocated to Balkan infrastructure projects by 2025 (DG NEAR, 2024).

Controversies & Opposition

Critics, including Hungary’s Viktor Orbán, accused her of “rushing expansion at the cost of EU cohesion.” Von der Leyen countered:

“Enlargement is not charity—it’s an investment in a stable, democratic continent.” (Speech in Strasbourg, 2023).

3. Re-election & Second-Term Agenda (2024–2029)

In July 2024, von der Leyen secured a second term with 401 out of 639 MEP votes—the strongest mandate for a Commission President since 2004. Her priorities:

Strategic Autonomy: Reducing dependence on China for critical minerals (e.g., lithium, rare earths) via the Critical Raw Materials Act (2025).
Green Transition: Enshrining the EU’s 2040 climate target (90% emissions cut) and allocating €1 trillion for wind energy and hydrogen infrastructure (European Green Deal 2.0).
Digital Sovereignty: Passing the AI Act (2025), the world’s first comprehensive AI regulatory framework.

4. Accolades & Global Recognition

Charlemagne Prize (2025): Awarded for “revitalizing European unity,” joining past laureates like Angela Merkel and Pope Francis.

TIME 100 Most Influential (2023): Cited for “turning crises into catalysts for integration.”

Forbes’ Most Powerful Woman (2022–2024): Ranked #3 globally, ahead of Kamala Harris.

5. Why BOSS Magazine Chose Her

In its cover story, BOSS Magazine highlighted:

Resilience: Navigating the EU through simultaneous crises without fracturing its core.

Vision: Positioning Europe as a “third pole” in the U.S.-China rivalry.

Diplomatic Acumen: Strengthening ties with Global South nations via the €150 billion Global Gateway Initiative (2025).

The BOSS Editor-in-chief Olga Azarova remarked:

“Von der Leyen didn’t just manage crises—she reimagined Europe’s role in a fragmented world. She is a World Woman Role Model and the CEO the EU needed.”

Criticisms & Challenges

Migration Policy: The New Pact on Migration (2023) faced backlash from NGOs for “outsourcing border control” to authoritarian regimes.
Farmers’ Protests: 2024 subsidies cuts sparked continent-wide demonstrations, forcing revisions to the Common Agricultural Policy.

By 2025, Ursula von der Leyen had transformed the European Commission from a bureaucratic body into a geopolitical powerhouse. Her blend of pragmatism and idealism—captured in her motto, “Unity through adversity”—cemented her as BOSS Magazine’s Person of the Year. As she told the magazine:

“Europe isn’t a museum. It’s a construction site—and we’re building a future worthy of its past.”

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