Thanks to Borgen, I understand Ursula von der Leyen. 1/

In the must-see episode from the second season, “In Brussels No One Can Hear You Scream”, the intrigue revolves around the fact that no one wants the commission job because it means political exile and death. 2/

And of course it pretty much does. The national political arena is no longer yours. Instead, back home, former political thoroughbreds become political show fill-ins, wheeled in for 3-minute debates on “What is Europe?” or explain why the EU is confusing. 4/

Von der Leyen’s sin is that she refuses to go down so easily. She wants very much to remain part of the big show in Germany where the most critical election season of her career is underway. 5/

Now, EU folk have always clamored for a more political commission, but what they imagined was something involving MEPs, council showboating and with Brussels at its centre. 6/

The sad truth is that a truly “political” commissioner is someone who is in the national game, not playing second division over Jupilers on Place Lux. 7/

And when that nation is Germany, well the tail wags the dog ever more furiously, knocking things about in EU-land, pissing people off, causing our inside-the-Ring Road outrage. Does she care? 8/

Probably not: In Brussels no one can hear you scream.
(ends)
here's the scene: