Von der Leyen, the hyper-president

Podcaster, negotiator, good guy; a one-time nuclear sceptic with an ability to reach across the aisle — observers within and outside the Brussels bubble have plenty to say about Dan Jørgensen, the EU executive’s most senior energy official. Contexte takes a closer look at the commissioner tasked with shepherding one of Europe’s most polluting sectors through a highly consequential transition.

You wait ages for an omnibus, then six come along at once. The European Commission’s omnibus simplification programme is becoming a veritable traffic jam, transforming — if not clogging up — the legislative pipes. And there’s more to come: a 22 July consultation hints at the next phase, a review of EU environmental law. Behind the scenes, frustration is mounting among officials and lawmakers alike, who denounce a top-down process that risks undermining years of work — and shifting the balance of power in Brussels.