In a rare move within the European Parliament, President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen successfully navigated a confidence vote initiated by a far-right faction. Although the results were expected, the criticism highlighted concerns about her leadership just a year into her second term.
The motion required a two-thirds majority among the 720 Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) to pass. In the end, only 175 MEPs supported the motion, while 360 voted against it and 18 abstained. The motion was presented by Romanian far-right MEP Gheorghe Piperea, who criticized von der Leyen for her perceived lack of transparency regarding text messages exchanged with the CEO of Pfizer during COVID-19 vaccine negotiations. The motion claimed that von der Leyen's administration could no longer be trusted to adhere to principles vital for a democratic Union.
During a heated debate, von der Leyen rebuffed accusations, characterizing her detractors as “conspiracy theorists.” She labeled the accusations related to the Pfizer negotiations as "simply a lie" and targeted Piperea's credibility, describing his views as extreme and unfounded. Despite the backing of significant political figures such as Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, Piperea’s attempt to unseat von der Leyen faced opposition even within the far-right European Conservatives and Reformists (ECR) group, where notable factions like Italy’s Brothers of Italy (FdI) chose to support von der Leyen.
The Commission president managed to retain her position due in large part to solidarity among her own centre-right European People's Party (EPP) and alliances with other groups, including the Socialist & Democrats (S&D), the liberal Renew group, and the Greens. However, recent debates have revealed an undercurrent of dissatisfaction with von der Leyen's leadership, especially regarding her collaborations with far-right factions on issues like migration and environmental policies.
Valérie Hayer, the president of Renew Europe, emphasized the conditional nature of their support for von der Leyen. Meanwhile, S&D leader Iratxe García expressed concerns about von der Leyen's governance, stressing that dismantling the Commission amid global challenges would be reckless. Amidst this turbulence, von der Leyen was also engaged in her duties, addressing the Ukraine Recovery Conference in Rome while the vote unfolded.
Post-vote, von der Leyen reaffirmed her commitment to unity in the EU during a message on social media, highlighting the need to stand against destabilizing efforts from external forces. With her victory in the confidence vote, von der Leyen’s leadership faces continued scrutiny amid a complex political landscape in Europe.
The motion required a two-thirds majority among the 720 Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) to pass. In the end, only 175 MEPs supported the motion, while 360 voted against it and 18 abstained. The motion was presented by Romanian far-right MEP Gheorghe Piperea, who criticized von der Leyen for her perceived lack of transparency regarding text messages exchanged with the CEO of Pfizer during COVID-19 vaccine negotiations. The motion claimed that von der Leyen's administration could no longer be trusted to adhere to principles vital for a democratic Union.
During a heated debate, von der Leyen rebuffed accusations, characterizing her detractors as “conspiracy theorists.” She labeled the accusations related to the Pfizer negotiations as "simply a lie" and targeted Piperea's credibility, describing his views as extreme and unfounded. Despite the backing of significant political figures such as Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, Piperea’s attempt to unseat von der Leyen faced opposition even within the far-right European Conservatives and Reformists (ECR) group, where notable factions like Italy’s Brothers of Italy (FdI) chose to support von der Leyen.
The Commission president managed to retain her position due in large part to solidarity among her own centre-right European People's Party (EPP) and alliances with other groups, including the Socialist & Democrats (S&D), the liberal Renew group, and the Greens. However, recent debates have revealed an undercurrent of dissatisfaction with von der Leyen's leadership, especially regarding her collaborations with far-right factions on issues like migration and environmental policies.
Valérie Hayer, the president of Renew Europe, emphasized the conditional nature of their support for von der Leyen. Meanwhile, S&D leader Iratxe García expressed concerns about von der Leyen's governance, stressing that dismantling the Commission amid global challenges would be reckless. Amidst this turbulence, von der Leyen was also engaged in her duties, addressing the Ukraine Recovery Conference in Rome while the vote unfolded.
Post-vote, von der Leyen reaffirmed her commitment to unity in the EU during a message on social media, highlighting the need to stand against destabilizing efforts from external forces. With her victory in the confidence vote, von der Leyen’s leadership faces continued scrutiny amid a complex political landscape in Europe.
