Get all your news in one place.
100's of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
Asharq Al-Awsat
Asharq Al-Awsat
Lifestyle
Asharq Al-Awsat

EU's Michel Says He's Sleeping Badly after Sofa Gaffe in Turkey

A screengrab from footage released by the Turkish presidency on April 6, 2021 shows Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan (R) receiving EU Council President Charles Michel (C) and the president of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen (L) in Ankara. (AFP)

European Council President Charles Michel is suffering from bad nights due to his embarrassment over a seating arrangement incident at a meeting in Ankara this week, he told German newspaper Handelsblatt.

Ursula Von der Leyen, the first female president of the European Commission, expressed surprise and raised a hand in disbelief when she found Michel had taken the only chair available next to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan at the talks.

In the episode, caught on camera, she ended up being relegated to a sofa, further away.

"I make no secret of the fact that I haven't slept well at night since because the scenes keep replaying in my head," Michel told Handelsblatt, adding if it were possible he would go back and fix it.

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100's of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.