European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen Faces Dual No-Confidence Votes Amid Political Pressure
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, a key figure in the European Union, is preparing to face two separate no-confidence votes from the far-right and far-left parliamentary groups at the EU Parliament. These motions, which are set to be debated during a plenary session from October 6 to 9, represent a significant political challenge for von der Leyen. The initiative comes from the Patriots for Europe and The Left groups, which have both levied accusations of a lack of transparency and accountability in her leadership.
The Patriots for Europe have specifically criticized von der Leyen for her handling of trade agreements with the United States and the South American trade bloc Mercosur. In their motion, the group asserts that her inability to address these issues has weakened the EU’s position globally. The group’s statement, as reported by Politico, highlights that the EU is now ‘weaker today than ever due to the persistent failure of the president of the Commission to cope with the most pressing challenges.’ This reflects the deepening political tensions within the EU Parliament, where von der Leyen’s leadership is being scrutinized under mounting pressure.
Meanwhile, The Left group has focused their criticism on von der Leyen’s approach to the conflict between Israel and Hamas in Gaza. They argue that the Commission has failed to take decisive action and has not held Israel accountable for its actions. This divergence in criticism from both far-right and far-left groups illustrates the polarized nature of the political landscape within the EU and the challenges von der Leyen faces in maintaining a unified front.
The motions were submitted at midnight on September 10, marking the earliest opportunity following a previous no-confidence vote in July. Although von der Leyen survived that vote, which was initiated by Romanian right-wing MEP Gheorghe Piperea, the subsequent motion has brought renewed scrutiny to her leadership. The previous motion was centered on the Pfizergate scandal, which involved the disappearance of text messages between von der Leyen and Pfizer’s CEO during vaccine negotiations. She denied these allegations, calling them ‘simply a lie’ and labeling her critics as ‘conspiracy theorists.’
This incident led to a failed motion, supported by only 175 MEPs, with 360 voting against it. To pass, a two-thirds majority of the 720 MEPs is required, a high threshold that highlights the difficulty in ousting a Commission President. No-confidence motions have been exceptionally rare at the EU Parliament, with the last such motion against Jean-Claude Juncker in 2014. The upcoming votes will be a crucial test for von der Leyen’s ability to navigate the political landscape and secure the support needed to maintain her position in the EU Parliament.