Laureates 2025

Dr. Ursula von der Leyen

She is the personality who is entrusted with strategic tasks for the European Union and who carries them out.

  • External threats – Russia's war and geopolitical tensions
  • Internal challenges – populism, anti-Semitism, anti-European sentiment
  • Economy & innovation – need for a boost to innovation
  • COVID-19 – vaccine procurement & economic aid
  • War in Ukraine – support & sanctions
  • Energy crisis – REPowerEU plan for independence from Russia

Career

1958
1958
Born in Brussels
Relocation to Ilten near Hanover
1970
1970
1980
1980
Start of medical studies
State examination, licence to practise medicine and work as an assistant doctor
1987
1987
1991
1991
doctorate
Living in California and guest student at Stanford University
1992-1996
1992-1996
2001
2001
Master of Public Health
Minister for Social Affairs, Women, Family and Health in the State Parliament
2003
2003
2005
2005
Federal Minister for Family Affairs, Senior Citizens, Women and Youth in federal politics
Federal Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs
2009
2009
2013
2013
Federal Minister of Defence
Nomination for the office of Commission President
2019
2019

‘The centre holds!’

Ursula von der Leyen declared, and she succeeded in uniting large sections of the pro-European centre of the Parliament, Christian Democrats, Social Democrats, Liberals and Greens, and establishing a clear, comfortable pro-European majority.