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Sunday, Mar 22, 2026
Outside the box.
EU prosecutors take up Von der Leyen corruption probe – Politico
EU prosecutors have initiated a corruption investigation into Ursula von der Leyen, the President of the European Commission, focusing on her private text exchanges with Pfizer's CEO during the purchase of nearly two billion Pfizer Covid-19 vaccine doses.
Politico cites sources indicating the investigation, led by the European Public Prosecutor’s Office (EPPO), looks into allegations of corruption, conflict of interest, and other charges related to the negotiation process conducted via text messages before the vaccine's clinical trials concluded.
Von der Leyen, having admitted to these private communications but claiming the messages are lost, faces scrutiny but no formal charges yet.
The controversy has attracted attention from the governments of Poland and Hungary, with significant public interest due to concerns over the excessive quantity of vaccines ordered by the EU, leading to wastage of millions of doses and financial losses.
Von der Leyen, having admitted to these private communications but claiming the messages are lost, faces scrutiny but no formal charges yet.
The controversy has attracted attention from the governments of Poland and Hungary, with significant public interest due to concerns over the excessive quantity of vaccines ordered by the EU, leading to wastage of millions of doses and financial losses.
