Ursula von der Leyen red-faced as 'bored to death' EU Commissioner knits during EU speech

Footage taken during the address saw Johansson look up just once from her knitting to give Von der Leyen a stoney-faced look.

Johansson’s actions were not met with widespread receptiveness, with Italian MEP Isabella Tovaglieri dubbing it “embarrassing”.

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“What an embarrassing scene seen today”, she said on X.

“Immigration is being discussed in the Chamber and Commissioner Ylva Johansson is calmly knitting, despite the fact that she is the one in charge of the Union’s migration policies.”

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Another user, @infolliteras, mocked the contents of the EU Commission President’s speech, commenting: “Better to get busy with something real.”

GB News’ Nigel Farage also took aim at the leader, commenting: “Even Ursula von der Leyen’s own EU Commissioners are bored to death with what she has to say!”

The speech consisted of Germany’s former defence minister touching on the possibility of introducing Ukraine into the European Union.

She added it was the “call of history”, saying the bloc will be “at Ukraine’s side every step of the way. For as long as it takes”.

Commissioner Johansson took to social media to offer her support for the migration pact referenced in the speech, but did not comment on how she opted to pass the time in the chamber.

The Swedish politician has grown synonymous with knitting, having done the same thing during another Von der Leyen speech in 2021.

She had also tweeted in 2020 that she had knitted gift socks for her colleagues.

The State of the Union speech is the last of Von der Leyen’s term, which expires next summer.

The German politician opted to focus on Ukraine, economic issues and plunging living standards, as well as climate change.

It remains unclear as to whether she plans to run for a second mandate.