Ursula Von der Leyen’s EU Budget Overhaul Faces Growing Resistance. Ursula von der Leyen’s plan to reshape how the European Union spends its nearly €2 trillion long-term budget is losing momentum amid mounting political pushback. The European Commission president aimed to redirect billions from traditional farmer subsidies and regional funds toward defence and industrial competitiveness in the 2028–2034 budget. Southern and Central European countries, which benefit heavily from agricultural and cohesion funding, are resisting changes sought by wealthier northern states that contribute more to the EU budget. A broad alliance of EU governments, lawmakers and farmers is now working to dilute key elements of the reform, less than six months after the proposal was unveiled. Von der Leyen has already offered concessions, including allowing countries to spend up to an additional €45 billion on farm subsidies, signalling a partial retreat from her original vision. Northern European capitals are increasingly frustrated, warning that pressure to preserve the status quo risks undoing long-planned efforts to modernise EU spending priorities. Critics argue that reallocating funds from a crisis reserve to agriculture weakens the EU’s ability to respond to future emergencies and undermines budget flexibility. While some analysts say the core structure of the proposal remains intact, the growing compromises highlight how politically difficult it is to overhaul the EU’s traditional budget model.