“Erm,” muttered the former German defence minister, appearing unsure where to go.
Eventually she was seated on a sofa a little further away from her counterparts, opposite Turkey’s foreign minister someone below her in the protocol pecking order.
“The president of the commission was clearly surprised,” European Commission spokesman Eric Mamer said, insisting von der Leyen should have been treated “exactly in the same manner” as Michel.
“She does consider that these issues are important and need to be treated appropriately, which they clearly were not,” Mamer said.
The faux pas quickly dubbed “sofagate” online came at a delicate moment as the EU and Turkey look to rebuild ties despite concerns over Ankara’s record on rights, including the protection of women.