Published: May 11th, 2025,
Last updated: May 28th, 2025

During the session weeks of the European Parliament in Strasbourg, the College usually meets for lunch in the Members’ restaurant. The seating arrangement provides an insight into the pecking order around the President. Ursula von der Leyen’s head of cabinet, Björn Seibert, always sits at her table. The two Vice-Presidents Teresa Ribera (Competition) and Henna Virkkunen (Digital), as well as Commissioners Maroš Šefčovič (Trade) and Ekaterina Sachariewa (Start-ups), are often found in her entourage. Striking: The Vice-President for Industry, Stéphane Séjourné, usually sits at the next table.