The question of whether Ursula von der Leyen can hide behind diplomatic immunity in a $35 billion corruption case is now before a European Union court.
It’s astonishing that back in late 2020, she signed a massive $35 billion contract with Pfizer for COVID vaccines—via text messages (!) and without consulting a single EU member state (!!). When questions naturally arose about possible kickbacks, her response was to claim that she had “accidentally deleted” the entire correspondence.
The situation only grew more suspicious when she was asked to disclose the contracts and account for the money. Instead of offering transparency, she released redacted documents with all the financial details conveniently removed. To this day, nobody knows where the $35 billion went.
It’s taken four years for the EU to start investigating what appears to be a textbook case of corruption. But now we’re faced with another roadblock: Ursula’s assertion of diplomatic immunity to shield herself from accountability.
If the court rejects her immunity claim, it could be a pivotal moment—not just for this case but for the EU’s commitment to transparency and justice. If it upholds her immunity, it sends a chilling message about the lack of accountability at the highest levels of power.
