Portrait of Ursula von der Leyen
In office today

Ursula von der Leyen

President of the European Commission, 2019 to present

A former German defense minister who leads the EU's executive arm and backed the European Green Deal and joint COVID-19 vaccine purchases.

Ursula von der Leyen sits in the right-authoritarian part of the Caucus economy and liberty compass: slightly free market and slightly authoritarian. The clearest positions are strongly institutional on institutions, strongly globalist on nation and strongly nature-first on environment.

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Where Ursula von der Leyen sits on eight dimensions

Each scale runs from one pole to the other, and the dot shows the overall tendency of this leader's record and public life. These are simplified estimates and open to debate.

💰EconomySlightly free market
State-ledFree market
⚖️Liberty and authoritySlightly authoritarian
LibertarianAuthoritarian
🎭CultureSlightly traditional
ProgressiveTraditional
🌍NationStrongly globalist
GlobalistNationalist
🌱EnvironmentStrongly nature-first
Growth-firstNature-first
🤖TechnologyLeaning tech-optimist
Tech-cautiousTech-optimist
🕊️War and peaceLeaning strength-first
Peace-firstStrength-first
🏛️InstitutionsStrongly institutional
Anti-establishmentInstitutional

Leaders most like Ursula von der Leyen

Donald Tusk Prime Minister of Poland, 2007 to 2014 and 2023 to present82%Emmanuel Macron President of France, 2017 to present76%Woodrow Wilson US President, 1913 to 192174%Mark Carney Prime Minister of Canada, 2025 to present73%Joe Biden US President, 2021 to 202573%Tony Blair UK Prime Minister, 1997 to 200772%

Leaders furthest from Ursula von der Leyen

Jair Bolsonaro President of Brazil, 2019 to 20224%Donald Trump US President, 2017 to 2021 and 2025 to present6%Mahatma Gandhi Leader of the Indian independence movement10%

Political views closest to Ursula von der Leyen

Liberal internationalismBacks a rules-based world order of alliances, trade and institutions to keep the peace.76%OrdoliberalismFavors competitive markets protected by firm rules and a strong state, the basis of…74%European federalismWants Europe's states to pool sovereignty into a shared democratic federation.73%

Percentages show how close two profiles are across all eight dimensions. Including a person here is for historical study and comparison, not approval. Portrait: European People's Party, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons; see all photo credits.