European Commission President Orsula von der Leyen “is recovering well and is at home in Hannover,” Germany, Commission spokeswoman Paola Pino announced today.

Ursula von der Leyen will not be able to chair the College of Commissioners this week and has asked Executive Vice President Teresa Ribeira to replace her, Pino noted. She added that the Commission Chair is expected to be able to fully assume her duties early next week. In particular, von der Leyen is expected to take part in the World Economic Forum in Davos next week and attend the European Parliament plenary session in Strasbourg.

Asked to answer why the Commission had hidden the fact that Ursula von der Leyen was hospitalised in Hannover, Pino excused herself by saying that “we had said that she had severe pneumonia and that she was being treated in Hannover by a medical team”. At the same time, he admitted that von der Leyen was hospitalized for a week from January 2 to 10, but was never put under respiratory care. He also noted that the president’s ability to perform her duties was never in question.