European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen was named the winner of the prestigious Charlemagne Prize for her handling of “crises of historic proportions”, organizers of the prize said on Wednesday.
“This award touches me deeply,” Von der Leyen, who has been head of the European Commission since 2019, wrote on X.
“The Charlemagne Prize puts Europe at its heart, our reliable support in turbulent times,” he said.
Von der Leyen will receive the award at a ceremony in the western German city of Aachen on May 29.
Why did von der Leyen win?
The award’s board of directors said the 66-year-old German politician “represents Europe” and called her “a strong voice for Europe in the world.”
The judges said that von der Leyen advocated European interests during significant challenges.
The Commission President was praised for her services to the unity of EU member states, leadership during the coronavirus pandemic, decisive stance against Russia and commitment to the EU’s Green Deal.
Von der Leyen, the first woman to head the European Commission, was re-elected for a second term last year.
The last Commission President to receive the award while in office was Jacques Delors of France in 1992. He was decisive in developing the EU single market and introducing the euro.
What is the Charlemagne Award?
Since 1950, Aachen has annually awarded the Charlemagne Prize to recognize those who defend European unity.
The award is named after Charlemagne, who is considered the first unifier of Europe.
Previous recipients of the award include German Chancellor Angela Merkel, Pope Francis and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.
ESS/SMS (dpa, AFP)
