European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has been accused by Dutch MP Leonie Vestering (PvdD/EU Left) of carrying out a personal vendetta after the EU executive questioned the high protection status of wolves earlier this week.
In a statement released Monday, von der Leyen called for a “new phase” in the EU’s approach to wolves, underlining that the species has become a “real danger for livestock and potentially also for humans”. However, some environmentalists surmise there may also be a more personal motivation for von der Leyen’s recent surge ahead in the matter.
“Are we going to allow Commission President Ursula von der Leyen to abuse her power for a personal payback because one of her ponies fell victim to the wolf?” Vestering asked during a Dutch parliamentary commission debate on Thursday.
“If the wolf is no longer protected, there is a good chance that it will be exterminated by hunting, as it was in the 19th century,” she added, urging Nitrogen and Nature Minister Christianne van der Wal (VVD/Renew) to stand up for the animal at the EU level.
One of the Commission chief’s ponies was killed by a wolf in September of last year, with von der Leyen’s German home region of Hannover issuing an official shooting permit for the delinquent wolf later in December.
Farming groups have long campaigned for a stricter stance towards wolves, as many see their livestock threatened by the predatory carnivore.
Unsurprisingly, Vestering was contradicted in her criticism by Caroline van der Plas, leader of the upstart agrarian interest party Farmers-Citizen Movement (BBB).
She objected to Vestering’s accusation, pointing out that the incident with her pony may have merely opened von der Leyen’s eyes to the policy’s shortcomings.
Von der Leyen’s own EPP group has called for a plenary debate regarding the matter in the European Parliament next week.
(Benedikt Stöckl | EURACTIV.com)
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