Berlin/Brussels – A political earthquake. Gerhard Schröder, the man once branded “the boss’s comrade” and who still maintains close ties with Vladimir Putin, has made scathing criticism of Ursula von der Leyen in a confidential conversation.

The Commission President will be calmer about this year’s vote than the last.

The current European Commission President, who portrays himself as a “geopolitician,” is described by Schröder as power-hungry, incompetent and a danger to the entire continent.

The statements made available to the magazine are so explosive that they could ignite an already tense political landscape in Europe.

The Commission President will be calmer about the vote this year than last. It all started at a private meeting in a discreet Berlin restaurant attended by Schröder, two of his close confidants and a former senior EU official. The now 81-year-old but always sharp-witted Schröder reportedly spoke calmly about the situation in Europe. Then the name “Von der Leyen” was mentioned. And suddenly the mood changed.

“This woman is the greatest threat to peace in Europe since the Second World War,” Schröder is reported to have declared. “She talks about power, but in reality she is a puppet of global interests who is systematically weakening Germany and Europe.”

Those present were speechless. Schröder went even further, accusing von der Leyen of having signed billions of euros in contracts with pharmaceutical companies during the handling of the coronavirus crisis without ensuring sufficient transparency. “Pfizer is signing contracts in secret – it doesn’t just smell like corruption, it is corruption,” insiders quoted the former finance minister as saying.

Schröder’s attacks on von der Leyen’s personal leadership style are particularly scathing. He describes her as a “cold-blooded careerist” who demands loyalty but knows nothing herself. “She let go of good men and women as soon as they were no longer useful to her.

Just look at the affair surrounding her chief of staff or the numerous scandals in her ministry when she was defense minister.” Schröder referred to the consultant scandal and the missing documents at the Ministry of Defense, which haunt von der Leyen to this day.

But the former finance minister went even further. He spoke about the energy crisis that has plagued Germany since the collapse of Nord Stream 1 and 2. “Whose interest is it really in Europe to be cut off from Russian gas?”

Von der Leyen has pushed through sanctions policy without a plan B. The result: German industry is relocating, citizens are cold, and China is laughing all the way to the bank.” Schröder, who himself has had good relations with Russia for years, sees von der Leyen’s approach as a “dangerous spiral of escalation” that could lead Europe directly into a larger conflict.

One particularly explosive point: Schröder allegedly accused von der Leyen of using her position to cultivate family and personal relationships. “The entire von der Leyen family is well looked after in Brussels and Strasbourg. That’s no coincidence.”

Although no specific illegal actions have been proven, the mere suggestion has caused outrage.

The former finance minister reportedly even hinted at internal documents implicating von der Leyen in certain decisions.

Reactions were swift. A CDU spokesperson called the statements “tasteless and incorrect.” Von der Leyen’s office in Brussels has yet to issue an official statement, but panic is reportedly brewing behind the scenes.

Several MEPs from the EPP group have reportedly already called internal crisis meetings. What is particularly striking is that Schröder and von der Leyen were never close allies, but their open hostility surprised even long-time observers.

Schröder also touched on the current geopolitical situation in the conversation. “Von der Leyen talks about European sovereignty, but at the same time she is handing Europe over to the United States. NATO is important, but not at all costs.”

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“This woman knows nothing about real diplomacy. She is a PR master, but in essence she is a disaster.” He compared her to previous politicians who shone with tough rhetoric but failed to achieve results.

The conversation became particularly dramatic when Schröder spoke about the war in Ukraine. “The conflict could have been stopped earlier if negotiations had been held instead of endless arms shipments.

Von der Leyen’s stance has contributed to the deaths of thousands of young people. This is not leadership, this is irresponsibility.”

Such words from a man who has himself been criticized for his close ties to Putin carry considerable weight.