Von der Leyen distances herself from diplomatic fraud scandal
PoliticoDEC 8
Von der Leyen Distances From EU Corruption Allegations
Does this expose systemic EU corruption under von der Leyen's leadership, or are these unproven allegations against a separate institution?
Above: Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission, on Dec. 3, 2025. Image credit: Thierry Monasse/Getty Images
The Spin
Establishment-critical narrative
Brussels faces another massive corruption scandal as authorities detained former EU foreign policy chief Mogherini and top diplomat Sannino for allegedly rigging a multimillion-dollar tender to favor the College of Europe. This exposes systemic rot within the EU's pro-war foreign policy establishment and raises serious questions about von der Leyen's leadership, as she worked closely with both suspects and now faces a fourth censure motion.
Pro-establishment narrative
The investigation targets a separate institution from the Commission and predates current leadership, with Kallas immediately launching anti-fraud reforms upon taking office in December 2024. Sannino promptly resigned from his Commission post, demonstrating accountability, while the probe remains unproven allegations against individuals presumed innocent.