Ursula von der Leyen to announce shock retirement from politics?

Sad news for von der Leyen fans. Speculation had been rife that the European Commission president will announce her retirement from politics, at age 67, with immediate effect.

UPDATE 20/08/2026 : This story seems to be false. (read more)

Being a politician isn't fun anymore

“As we get older, there are phases of life that we enter into, and being a politician just isn't fun anymore,” she might have said, says a source who remained anonymous. Other reports hinted that she may branch out into other creative fields she is better at (and more interested in), though they didn't provide any details.

#ThankYouUrsula

For a little while on Wednesday evening, #ThankYouUrsula was a trending hashtag on Twitter. As many fans reminisce and look back on all the unforgettable memories, some may wonder what about now made her make the decision.

“You’ve accomplished everything I ever dreamed of #ThankYouUrsula.”
— @DesireePlum, 19 Aug 2026

“I thought Ursula von der Leyen retired about 5 years ago?!?”
— @millythom, 19 Aug 2026

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