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Commission President von der Leyen Missing from Notre Dame Reopening Due to Last-Minute Cancellation
Internal documents indicate a last-minute cancellation due to scheduling conflicts, even though attendance was confirmed earlier.
On December 7, 2024, Commission President Ursula von der Leyen was absent from the reopening ceremony of Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris.
Documents retrieved by Euronews show that the Commission's protocol officially notified her absence just hours before the event commenced, even though she had confirmed her attendance in a letter to French President Emmanuel Macron dated December 4, 2024.
Internal communications reveal that von der Leyen was anticipated to be present at both the ceremony and a subsequent dinner, but the Commission later attributed her withdrawal to "scheduling issues."
This scheduling conflict coincided with an unplanned trip to Montevideo on December 6, where von der Leyen announced the successful completion of trade negotiations between the EU and Mercosur—a development that had faced criticism from French officials.
On December 9, a spokesperson for the Commission indicated that von der Leyen had never officially confirmed her attendance to the Élysée due to impending scheduling concerns.
The situation occurred at a prominent event featuring leaders such as Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and U.S. President Donald Trump, prompting inquiries into the communication and planning protocols between the Commission and French authorities.
The Commission has not disclosed additional information regarding the scheduling conflicts.
Documents retrieved by Euronews show that the Commission's protocol officially notified her absence just hours before the event commenced, even though she had confirmed her attendance in a letter to French President Emmanuel Macron dated December 4, 2024.
Internal communications reveal that von der Leyen was anticipated to be present at both the ceremony and a subsequent dinner, but the Commission later attributed her withdrawal to "scheduling issues."
This scheduling conflict coincided with an unplanned trip to Montevideo on December 6, where von der Leyen announced the successful completion of trade negotiations between the EU and Mercosur—a development that had faced criticism from French officials.
On December 9, a spokesperson for the Commission indicated that von der Leyen had never officially confirmed her attendance to the Élysée due to impending scheduling concerns.
The situation occurred at a prominent event featuring leaders such as Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and U.S. President Donald Trump, prompting inquiries into the communication and planning protocols between the Commission and French authorities.
The Commission has not disclosed additional information regarding the scheduling conflicts.
