Thread by @nickgutteridge

1/ As the dust settles, how is Ursula von der Leyen being judged over the EU's vaccine rollout? There are varying views, but all agree that the Commission has made mistakes, and all equally agree its President is under no pressure whatsoever to resign. thetimes.co.uk/article/the-eu…

2/ There is widespread frustration across Member States about the pace of the EU's vaccines programme. There is harsh criticism, too, of VDL's working methods which involve relying on a very small number of advisers. Though she's hardly the first leader to face that accusation.

3/ Some critics say the Commission saw an opportunity to 'act like a Government' in the hope it would take the glory for the vaccines rollout. But now that the programme has run into trouble it doesn't want to take the responsibility in the same way national governments have to.

4/ Others are slightly kinder, and say while 'there may have been some mishaps' in the vaccine procurement scheme, VDL has 'tried her best' in challenging circumstances. They see little point in being too harsh on her as 'people want to cooperate and they want to get results'.

5/ It is also generally agreed that, even though the rollout has gone far from as hoped, there was little alternative to joint procurement. Of course people look at how the UK has done and wonder, but most feel that 27 EU countries going down the same route would've caused chaos.

6/ Nonetheless, VDL can expect a grilling when she faces MEPs on Wednesday, and EU leaders on a video call later this month. There will be questions over the Commission's process for signing contracts, but perhaps the most awkward ones will be on Article 16 of the NI Protocol.

7/ Irish MEP Billy Kelleher is unhappy that VDL still hasn't properly explained how the error happened, and feels she's dodging proper accountability on the issue. 'An apology only accepts you did wrong but it doesn't identify how you came about that decision in the first place.'

8/ He says: 'I want to know 3 things. Who made the decision, were there any representations made by Member States or ministers in Member States to invoke Art 16, and if not how did it come about in the Commission? To this day I don't know how that came about and I need to know.'

9/ In a Feb 25 video call EU leaders will discuss 'lessons learned so far from the pandemic' with VDL. Sources say that's 'diplomatic language for you guys have made a mistake big time', but they'll want to be constructive and 'I wouldn't imagine she will get a lot of criticism'.

10/ VDL has clearly been damaged by all this as has faith in the Commission. But far from fatally so. There's no real incentive for EU leaders to try and get rid of her and they have little choice but to stay the course with joint procurement. She's weakened but not down and out.