# European Commission leadership controversies > Live situation record from CLSTR: https://clstr.news/situations/european-commission-leadership-controversies > Updated: 2026-09-20T14:41:32.000Z. Sources: 7. Developments: 2. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has faced scrutiny regarding both industrial policy and administrative transparency. In September 2026, von der Leyen endorsed ‘Project Bromo’, a €6.5 billion space venture involving Airbus, Leonardo, and Thales. She framed the project as a way to create an ‘industrial champion’ to reduce European dependence on US providers like SpaceX. This endorsement drew criticism from European Parliament Member Stephanie Yon-Courtin, who described the public support as an ‘abuse of power’ and a ‘breach of duty’ because the merger had not yet undergone formal review by EU competition authorities. Concurrently, the Commission has resisted calls from EU Ombudsman Teresa Anjinho to cease the automatic deletion of text and Signal messages used by von der Leyen. Following a finding of ‘maladministration’ in June, Anjinho requested that officials disable ‘disappearing messages’ to ensure communications can be preserved for access requests. The Commission rejected these recommendations, citing cybersecurity concerns and the need for ‘mutual trust and confidentiality’ in communications. ## Timeline ### 2026-09-20: European Commission rejects calls to stop deleting von der Leyen’s messages The European Commission has refused to stop the automatic deletion of Ursula von der Leyen’s messages, rejecting EU Ombudsman calls for greater transparency due to cybersecurity and confidentiality concerns. 3 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/european-commission-rejects-calls-to-stop-deleting-von-der-leyens-messages ### 2026-09-11: EU Commission President faces criticism over €6.5bn space project support EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen faces criticism from MEP Stephanie Yon-Courtin over her support for a €6.5 billion space venture, which critics claim bypasses standard competition reviews. 4 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/european-commission-president-faces-criticism-over-space-merger-endorsement --- Cite as: European Commission leadership controversies. CLSTR, https://clstr.news/situations/european-commission-leadership-controversies