Skip to content

Sofagate: Turkey and the story of three presidents and only two chairs

When European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen was left standing because of a lack of chairs in Turkey this week, she reacted with an audible "erm".

Video of the scene quickly went viral and what had begun as an attempt to repair tense EU-Turkey relations turned into a diplomatic spat that has been dubbed "sofagate".

Ros Atkins looks at the fallout from the event and why there might have been more to it than meets the eye.

9 April 2021

Ursula von der Leyen

Recep Tayyip Erdogan

Explore More

A ship tipping on its side under the weight of unbalanced shipping containers

Watch: Cargo ship tips on its side in Turkey

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer stands in front of a UK flag and next to President Xi Jinping of China, who is in front of a Chinese flag. Starmer is looking at Xi, who is looking away

Ros Atkins On... Four reasons why the relationship between the UK and China is strained

Salome Zourabichvili smiles while sitting in front of Georgia flag and an EU flag

Georgia's pro-EU president vows to stay 'until someone is legitimately elected'

World's tallest woman and shortest woman standing next to each other

Moment world's tallest woman and shortest woman meet

Nick Eardley

How did the Turkey attack unfold?

CCTV footage of a man with a gun seen by a security gate

Videos show how Ankara attack unfolded

People look around in street as masonry falls to the ground

Watch: Narrow escape as debris falls during Turkey quake

Somali and Turkish defence ministers pose in front of flags

Why is Turkey deepening its ties with Somalia?

Alpay Ozalan with hands around Ahmet Sik's neck during brawl

Watch: Moment brawl breaks out in Turkish parliament

Macron and Starmer

What do European leaders think about the UK's new PM?

Truck burning, partially obscured by thick plume of black smoke

Syrians attack Turkish troops after anti-migrant riots

Nigel Farage

Nigel Farage: We provoked war in Ukraine

Dimitris Baltakos

'It's clearly illegal' - ex-coastguard's unguarded comment about migrants

A red cable car seen from a helicopter

Watch: Moment man rescued from Turkey cable car

An official naming ceremony will take place on Islay towards the end of the year.

Turkish-built CalMac ferry successfully launched

Europe correspondent Nick Beake on the scene as farmers take to the streets in protest.

Brussels: Farmers protest leaves streets in chaos

Torrent of earth crashing down slope

CCTV captures massive landslide in Turkey

Umm Abdo in her makeshift home

Syria quake survivors - living in its shadow, one year on

Farmer throws eggs at Brussels protest

Farmers throw eggs as fires burn at Brussels protest

Plane flies over motorway

Watch plane's emergency descent over motorway

Pope Francis marked the start of the Jubilee year by opening the normally bricked-up Holy Door of St Peter's Basilica

Pope opens Holy Door to kick off special jubilee year

More than 30 million Catholic pilgrims are expected to head to Rome for the jubilee, which takes place once every 25 years.

Suspect in the German market attack appears at court on Saturday

Market attack suspect appears in court as anger grows over security

Suspect appears in court after attack on German Christmas market that killed five and injured more than 200.

Taleb al-Abdulmohsen

Watch Magdeburg attack suspect's 2019 interview with the BBC

Taleb Al-Abdulmohsen spoke about his work helping ex-Muslims flee the Gulf.

Bethany Bell wearing coat and scarf stands in the Christmas market which is cordoned off by police tape

Watch: Germany grapples with another Christmas market attack

The BBC's Bethany Bell reports from the empty Magdeburg market, on what should be one of the busiest nights of the season.

Emergency vehicles in Magdeburg

Reporter describes 'chaotic situation' after Christmas market attack

A car has been driven into crowds at a Christmas market in the German city of Magdeburg.

A police office pointing a gun on a street in the dark

Video shows arrest of German Christmas market attack suspect

Footage from German broadcaster MDR shows police confronting a man lying on the floor by a car.

Macron in the crowds

Watch: Crowds boo President Macron in Mayotte

The French president spoke to residents on Mayotte while touring the devastation caused by Cyclone Chido.

BBC Russia Editor Steve Rosenberg

Watch BBC's Steve Rosenberg challenge Putin on his 25 years in power in Russia

Russian President Vladimir Putin was speaking at an annual end-of-year press conference.

Mayeni Jones in a yellow shirt talking into a microphone against a backdrop of scattered furniture and trees stripped of their leaves

Watch: BBC sees 'complete devastation' in Mayotte

BBC Africa Correspondent Mayeni Jones reports from cyclone-hit Mayotte, as French President Emmanuel Macron visits to assess the damage.

Dr Laurent Layet speaking in an office

Pelicot 'split personality' cause of 'deviant acts' says psychiatrist

Dr Laurent Layet explains how a seemingly ordinary man could commit these crimes.

Gisèle Pelicot speaking outside court surrounded by onlookers

'I never regretted decision to make trial public'

Speaking outside court, Gisèle Pelicot says she never regretted her decision to make her rape trial public.

Gisèle Pelicot in a crowd of journalists

Gisèle Pelicot arrives to supporters' cheers at Avignon court

Gisèle Pelicot pushes through crowds of journalist to attend court.

Crowds gather next to an area that has been surrounded by tape with a man in armour standing by.

Ros Atkins On... Igor Kirillov's death

The BBC's Analysis Editor, along with BBC Verify, takes a look at material from the scene to assess what we know.

The BBC's Steven Rosenberg outside the building where Lt Gen Igor Kirillov died in an explosion

BBC reporter at scene of explosion that killed a Russian general

Steven Rosenberg reports from where a Russian general died in a blast at a residential block.

Men guard a building with a blackened window in Moscow

Russian general killed by bomb in residential Moscow building

Lt Gen Igor Kirillov was leaving a residential block on Tuesday when a device hidden in a scooter went off.

Rescuer amongst debris and fallen trees in the street

Watch: Cyclone Chido batters Mayotte leaving heavy damage

Video footage shows the devastation wrought by the strongest storm in decades to strike the French territory.

Tanker sinking, oil spill

Watch: Video appears to show Russian tanker sinking

At least one crew member was reportedly killed and footage showed an oil spill amid a heavy storm

BBC correspondent surrounded by protesters holding photographs

Watch: BBC sees 'anger and frustration' on streets of Tbilisi

Large crowds of protesters gather outside the Georgian parliament to object to the appointment of a new president.

Journalist being approached by a masked man with his hand up

Moment Georgian press attacked by masked men

The journalist told the Associated Press that the men took their equipment after the attack.

President Macron speaks to Donald Trump at the reopening of the cathedral

Notre-Dame: World leaders join Macron for cathedral reopening

Notre Dame has officially reopened more than five years after it was badly damaged in a fire.