Ursula von der Leyen successfully navigated a confidence vote initiated by far-right party members in the European Parliament. Although she retains support from many political groups, there are growing concerns about her leadership and alliances with far-right factions.
Ursula von der Leyen Overcomes Confidence Vote Amidst Rising Far-Right Challenges
Ursula von der Leyen Overcomes Confidence Vote Amidst Rising Far-Right Challenges
The European Commission President secures her position against a confidence motion driven by far-right factions, but underlying tensions persist within the EU.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen faced a confidence vote in the European Parliament, propelled by a motion from far-right factions but ultimately emerged victorious. This vote, though not unexpected, unnerved many observers, considering von der Leyen's recent start to her second term a mere year ago.
The voting dynamics revealed that a two-thirds majority, or 480 Members of the European Parliament (MEPs), was necessary for the motion to pass. In contrast, only 175 voted in favor, while 360 rejected it, and 18 abstained. The motion was introduced by Romanian far-right MEP Gheorghe Piperea, who criticized von der Leyen for allegedly lacking transparency regarding her communications with Pfizer during vaccine negotiations. The motion charged her administration with failing to "uphold the principles of transparency, accountability, and good governance vital to a democratic Union".
During a heated parliamentary debate, von der Leyen characterized her assailants as "conspiracy theorists," challenging Piperea and his cohorts as "extremists" and "Putin apologists". She firmly dismissed the accusations surrounding her communication with Pfizer, labeling them as falsehoods.
Piperea's initiative gained some support from significant political figures, including Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, who urged for von der Leyen's removal. Notably, however, support for the motion was divided within the European Conservatives and Reformists (ECR) group, primarily due to the alliance from Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni's Brothers of Italy (FdI) party, which has established a cordial relationship with von der Leyen.
Ultimately, her retention of office was facilitated by the backing from her own European People's Party (EPP), alongside the Socialist & Democrats (S&D), liberal Renew, Green parties, and various left-leaning groups. Nonetheless, leading up to the vote, multiple factions expressed concerns regarding her leadership style and further indicated their support was contingent.
In particular, Valérie Hayer, president of the centrist Renew Europe, cautioned that her backing was "not guaranteed" and called for von der Leyen to reconsider her cooperation with far-right groups. Iratxe García, leader of the S&D, criticized the idea of dismantling the Commission amidst a geopolitical crisis but noted their reservations about von der Leyen's recent direction.
As the vote unfolded, von der Leyen was speaking at the Ukraine Recovery Conference in Rome. Following the successful outcome, she took to social media to reaffirm her commitment to solidarity within the EU, stating, "As external forces seek to destabilize and divide us, it is our duty to respond in line with our values. Thank you, and long live Europe."
