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19.05.2026
International Roundtable in Florence Examines Von der Leyen Commission’s Legacy
Prof. Dr. Gabriele Abels (University of Tübingen) joins international scholars in debate on gender, leadership and EU governance
Prof. Dr. Gabriele Abels, from the Institute of Political Science (IfP) at the University of Tübingen, participated as a panelist in the international roundtable “The European Commission under President Ursula von der Leyen: Gender, Leadership, Policies, and Crises”, held on 8 May at the Altana Conference Hall, Palazzo Strozzi, in Florence.
The event brought together scholars from universities and research centres across Europe and the United States to discuss the political and institutional legacy of the first European Commission led by Ursula von der Leyen during the 2019–2024 period. The discussion was based on the collective volume The European Commission under President Ursula von der Leyen. Gender, Leadership, Policies, and Crises, to which Gabriele Abels contributed as one of the authors, alongside Henriette Müller and Joyce Marie Mushaben.
Throughout the roundtable, participants examined von der Leyen’s exercise of political leadership amid multiple crises faced by the European Union, including the pandemic, war, economic challenges, and disputes over fundamental rights. The debate also addressed the Commission’s capacity to advance policies in areas such as gender equality, LGBTIQ+ rights, migration, and social policy, as well as internal institutional tensions within EU governance.
The event also featured contributions from scholars based at the University of Helsinki, University of Warwick, Scuola Normale Superiore, Université Paris 8, KU Leuven, and Tampere University.
Among the discussants were Hans Jörg Trenz and Marinella Belluati. The session was chaired by Guglielmo Meardi and Mario Pianta.
The event highlighted how the analysis of the von der Leyen Commission goes beyond traditional institutional perspectives, requiring an integrated understanding of political leadership, crises, governance, and structural inequalities, particularly from a gender and European integration perspective.
The European Commission under President Ursula von der Leyen
Gender, Leadership, Policies, and Crises
Edited by Gabriele Abels, Johanna Kantola, Emanuela Lombardo, and Henriette Müller
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