The plaintiff in the Pfizergate affair has called on the European Council to force the resignation of EU executive chief Ursula von der Leyen and the rest of her Commissioners in a letter seen by Euronews. The letter from the plaintiff's lawyer was addressed to all 27 EU leaders and Manfred Weber, the president of von der Leyen’s European People’s Party (EPP). Its receipt was logged yesterday (29 May) at the European Council.
The plaintiff asked EU leaders “to refer the [Pfizergate] matter to the Court of Justice so that it may order the compulsory resignation and forfeiture of pension rights not only of Mrs von der Leyen but also of all the European Commissioners who make up her Commission.” Additionally, the plaintiff asked “the European People's Party to withdraw the candidacy of Ms von der Leyen for the post of President of the European Commission” as well as “prohibiting anyone from presenting the candidature of Mrs von der Leyen to the post of President of the European Commission or any other post within the European institutions as long as she is the subject of criminal proceedings.” The lawyer based her request on Article 245 (action incompatible with their duties) and Article 247 (serious misconduct) of the Treaty on the functioning of the European Union (TFEU).
The case concerned the disclosure of calls and text messages exchanged between von der Leyen and Pfizer’s CEO Albert Bourla through which both parties negotiated vaccine contracts during the.
