How to Pronounce Ursula von der Leyen

Meaning and Context

Ursula von der Leyen is a prominent German politician and the first woman to serve as President of the European Commission, a role she assumed in December 2019 following a landmark election by the European Parliament. A key figure in the European Union leadership, her tenure has been defined by steering the bloc through significant challenges, including the COVID-19 pandemic, for which she oversaw the joint vaccine procurement strategy, and the geopolitical upheaval following Russia's invasion of Ukraine, leading to sweeping EU sanctions and support packages. A longtime member of Germany's Christian Democratic Union (CDU) and a former German Federal Minister in various high-profile portfolios such as Defence and Family Affairs, von der Leyen's career exemplifies a deep engagement with both European Commission policy and EU politics. Her agenda, often encapsulated in flagship initiatives like the European Green Deal and Digital Strategy, focuses on climate neutrality, digital transformation, and strategic autonomy, positioning her as a central architect of the EU's future direction.

Common Mistakes and Alternative Spellings

The name "Ursula von der Leyen" follows standard German orthography but presents several common points of confusion for non-German speakers. The most frequent errors involve the preposition "von der" and the surname "Leyen." Common misspellings and typos include "Ursula von der Leyen" (incorrectly capitalizing 'der'), "Ursula Von Der Leyen" (over-capitalization in English contexts), "Ursula van der Leyen" (substituting the Dutch 'van' for the German 'von'), and "Ursula von der Layen" or "von der Leyer" (phonetic misspellings of 'Leyen'). Additionally, the umlaut in "Ursula" is sometimes incorrectly written as "Ursula" (with 'ae') or simply dropped as "Ursula." In formal writing, it is important to maintain the correct lowercase for 'von der' unless it begins a sentence, and to preserve the umlaut or its proper transliteration, which is 'ue' in "Ursula."

Example Sentences

Following the European Council's nomination, Ursula von der Leyen secured a second term as President of the European Commission in 2024, underscoring her continued influence in Brussels.

Critics and analysts often scrutinize von der Leyen's handling of EU-China relations, marking a delicate balance between de-risking and engagement.

In her speech to the European Parliament, von der Leyen emphasized that the success of the European Green Deal is inextricably linked to the continent's industrial competitiveness.

Before leading the Commission, von der Leyen served as Germany's Minister of Defence, a role that provided her with critical insights into European security architecture.

Many journalists note that von der Leyen's leadership style is characterized by a relentless drive to build consensus among the EU's 27 member states.

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