In a rare confidence vote, Ursula von der Leyen fends off criticism from far-right factions, illustrating a divided landscape within the European Parliament.
EU's Von der Leyen Endures Confidence Vote Amid Controversies
EU's Von der Leyen Endures Confidence Vote Amid Controversies
European Commission President navigates political turbulence as she retains support in Parliament.
Ursula von der Leyen, the President of the European Commission, has successfully endured a confidence vote instigated by a far-right faction within the European Parliament. Though the result was anticipated, the necessity for such a vote signals growing political challenges for von der Leyen, who only commenced her second term last year.
The last confidence vote of this nature occurred more than a decade ago against former President Jean-Claude Juncker. For the motion to pass, two-thirds of the Parliament's 720 Members (MEPs) would have needed to support it, which translates to 480 votes. Ultimately, only 175 MEPs voted in favor, while 360 opposed the motion and 18 abstained from voting.
The motion was introduced by Romanian far-right MEP Gheorghe Piperea, who criticized von der Leyen for her lack of transparency regarding text messages exchanged with the CEO of Pfizer during COVID-19 vaccine negotiations. The motion declared that von der Leyen's Commission was untrustworthy in upholding transparency and democratic governance principles.
During the ensuing heated debate, von der Leyen rebuffed the accusations, labeling them as conspiracy theories and linking Piperea and his supporters to extreme ideologies. She fiercely denied the validity of the "Pfizergate" allegations, deeming them unfounded.
Notably, Piperea found support from Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban. However, his own European Conservatives and Reformists (ECR) faction was divided; many members from Italy's Brothers of Italy, who have cultivated a positive rapport with von der Leyen, voted against the proposal.
The outcomes of the vote rested heavily on the backing von der Leyen received from her own centre-right European People's Party (EPP), as well as the Socialist & Democrats (S&D), liberals of the Renew group, and environmental and leftist parties. Nevertheless, multiple factions expressed caution about their support, reflecting discontent over von der Leyen's approach. Valérie Hayer, from Renew Europe, conveyed a strong message, urging von der Leyen to re-establish control over the EPP and to sever ties with far-right allies.
Iratxe García, S&D leader, emphasized the importance of maintaining Commission integrity amid geopolitical challenges, asserting that their vote in her favor should not be interpreted as uncritical support.
While the confidence vote unfolded, von der Leyen was addressing the Ukraine Recovery Conference in Rome. Shortly after the vote dismissal, she shared a unifying message on X, reinforcing commitment to European values and expressing gratitude for the support.
The last confidence vote of this nature occurred more than a decade ago against former President Jean-Claude Juncker. For the motion to pass, two-thirds of the Parliament's 720 Members (MEPs) would have needed to support it, which translates to 480 votes. Ultimately, only 175 MEPs voted in favor, while 360 opposed the motion and 18 abstained from voting.
The motion was introduced by Romanian far-right MEP Gheorghe Piperea, who criticized von der Leyen for her lack of transparency regarding text messages exchanged with the CEO of Pfizer during COVID-19 vaccine negotiations. The motion declared that von der Leyen's Commission was untrustworthy in upholding transparency and democratic governance principles.
During the ensuing heated debate, von der Leyen rebuffed the accusations, labeling them as conspiracy theories and linking Piperea and his supporters to extreme ideologies. She fiercely denied the validity of the "Pfizergate" allegations, deeming them unfounded.
Notably, Piperea found support from Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban. However, his own European Conservatives and Reformists (ECR) faction was divided; many members from Italy's Brothers of Italy, who have cultivated a positive rapport with von der Leyen, voted against the proposal.
The outcomes of the vote rested heavily on the backing von der Leyen received from her own centre-right European People's Party (EPP), as well as the Socialist & Democrats (S&D), liberals of the Renew group, and environmental and leftist parties. Nevertheless, multiple factions expressed caution about their support, reflecting discontent over von der Leyen's approach. Valérie Hayer, from Renew Europe, conveyed a strong message, urging von der Leyen to re-establish control over the EPP and to sever ties with far-right allies.
Iratxe García, S&D leader, emphasized the importance of maintaining Commission integrity amid geopolitical challenges, asserting that their vote in her favor should not be interpreted as uncritical support.
While the confidence vote unfolded, von der Leyen was addressing the Ukraine Recovery Conference in Rome. Shortly after the vote dismissal, she shared a unifying message on X, reinforcing commitment to European values and expressing gratitude for the support.
