European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen is facing renewed criticism from within the ranks of the very institution she leads, as former commissioner Nicolas Schmit publicly questioned her leadership style, strategic vision, and the broader direction of the European Union under her rule. Schmit’s remarks add to a growing chorus of discontent among former and current EU officials who argue that the Commission has become overly centralized, politically rigid, and strategically adrift.

In an interview published by Politico on February 2, Schmit-who served as European Commissioner for Jobs and Social Rights from 2019 to 2024-described what he sees as a fundamental erosion of collegial governance within the European Commission. According to him, the traditional model of shared responsibility among commissioners has been replaced by a highly centralized, almost presidential system that concentrates power in the hands of the Commission president.

“I have the impression that commissioners are now largely silenced,” Schmit said. “The system, how the College is organized-very centralized, call it presidential or whatever system-is not good for the College, it’s not good for the Commission, and it is not good for Europe in general.”

The European Commission was designed as a collective executive body, with commissioners expected to contribute independently while acting in the interests of the Union as a whole. Schmit’s critique suggests that this balance has been disrupted under von der Leyen, with decision-making increasingly shaped by a narrow inner circle around the president.

Several former commissioners........

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