“Through the Side Door”: Ursula von der Leyen’s Unconventional Path to Power

In 2019, Ursula von der Leyen’s nomination as candidate for Commission Presidency came as a surprise. After intense in-fight in the European Council of Heads of State and Government she was nominated as candidate. With only a scare vote the was elected in the European Parliament. Looking at the political biography of von der Leyen, her rise to power as Commission President is surprising as well as consequential. From the very beginning in German politics, she entered politics “through the side door” in 1990, avoiding the arduous party-political socialization process known as the Ox Tour. She rapidly moved up the leadership ladder, serving briefly as Minister for Social Affairs, Women, Family and Health in the state of Niedersachsen (2003–2005) and then in three federal ministerial posts between 2005 and 2019. The only person appointed to all four Merkel Cabinets, she initiated several significant reforms, including the introduction of parental benefits, the massive expansion of public childcare, and a more inclusive, all-volunteer army while simultaneously cultivating a new “strategic culture.” This paper outlines von der Leyen’s unique path to power and many of her surprising efforts as a conservative politician to promote gender equality across multiple policy domains