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European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen on Monday pointedly blamed sexism for her banishment to a sofa during a meeting with the Turkish president and Charles Michel, her European Council counterpart.
“It happened,” she said, “because I am a woman.”
It was an unusually sharp comment from the normally soft-mannered von der Leyen, as she offered her most extensive public comments on the situation since it occurred earlier this month.
Speaking before lawmakers in the European Parliament, von der Leyen said she “could not find any justification” in the European treaties that explained why she was relegated to a nearby sofa while Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and Michel sat in stately chairs.
“Would this have happened if I had worn a suit and a tie?” she asked, also pointing out that she “did not see any shortage of chairs” in previous meetings of EU top leaders with Erdoğan.
The controversy erupted after a clip surfaced online of a confused von der Leyen uttering “Ähm ...” as Michel took the seat next to Erdoğan in front of the EU flag, while she was left standing nearby with outstretched arms.
For the first time, von der Leyen on Monday explained how she felt in the moment, directing her comments especially to the “female members of this house.”
“I am sure you know exactly how I felt,” she said. “I felt hurt and I felt alone, as a woman and as a European.”
The three leaders were in Ankara to discuss how to resume coordination with Turkey on vital issues like migration and expanding their customs union. But the meeting was largely overshadowed by the incident now dubbed “Sofagate.”
“It is not about seating arrangements or protocol,” von der Leyen said. “This goes to the core of who were are, this goes to the values our union stands for and this shows how far we still have to go before women are treated as equals.”
Von der Leyen told MEPs she had expected to be treated as “the president of the European Commission” during her trip.
Von der Leyen’s somber tone contrasted with remarks from Michel, who also addressed MEPs Monday night.
In a relatively upbeat speech, Michel reiterated his previous apologies for the incident, saying he would “take the opportunity” of the Sofagate discussion to push EU countries to make progress on gender equality issues, like the Women on Board Directive and pay transparency. He also promised to examine a previous proposal to set up Council meetings on gender equality.
Some female MEPs in the plenary room said von der Leyen’s speech made an impression on them.
Assita Kanko, a Belgian MEP from the European Conservatives and Reformists, called it “impressive.”
“I am very moved by what von der Leyen said, because she dares to show how she feels, and therefore validates what so many women feel every day in their leadership position or journey,” she said.
“We’ve all been President von der Leyen at some point in our lives and our careers,” Kanko added.
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