Germany’s SPD says in damning paper to EU peers von der Leyen is ‘inappropriate’ for Commission

Germany’s Social Democrats have circulated a damning paper to their European political group in which they call Ursula von der Leyen an “inadequate and inappropriate candidate” to lead the European Commission, Reuters reports.

The statement comes ahead of a vote on her nomination next week.

In the paper, the SPD listed von der Leyen’s policy and leadership “failures” as defense minister, highlighting a scandal over the awarding of contracts, her alienation of the army top brass and gaps in the military.

Chancellor Angela Merkel was the only EU leader to abstain in a vote last week on an EU top jobs package after she consulted the SPD, which rejected the deal.