European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has successfully navigated a confidence vote instigated by the far-right, reflecting ongoing tensions within the EU Parliament regarding her leadership style.
**Confidence Boost for EU Chief: von der Leyen Survives Vote from Far-Right Faction**
**Confidence Boost for EU Chief: von der Leyen Survives Vote from Far-Right Faction**
Ursula von der Leyen's leadership faces challenges despite recent confidence vote victory.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen emerged unscathed from a confidence vote initiated by far-right factions within the European Parliament. Although the outcome was expected, the move itself sends a precarious signal, given von der Leyen's relatively new tenure since her re-election last year. Confidence votes of this nature are uncommon, with the last major instance occurring over a decade ago against Jean-Claude Juncker.
To pass, the motion required a two-thirds majority among the 720 Members of Parliament (MEPs), equivalent to 480 votes. Ultimately, only 175 supported the motion while 360 voted against it, with 18 abstentions.
Romanian far-right MEP Gheorghe Piperea launched the vote, claiming von der Leyen's lack of transparency regarding her communications with Pfizer during Covid-19 vaccine negotiations threatened trust in her leadership. During intense debates, she accused her critics of conspiracy theories, labeling Piperea and similar opponents as "extremists" and "anti-vaxxers." She vehemently rejected claims regarding "Pfizergate" as falsehoods.
Despite the challenge from Piperea, supported by figures like Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, the European Conservatives and Reformists party was internally divided. Many members of the Brothers of Italy, led by Italian PM Giorgia Meloni, chose to vote against the motion, reflecting her party's increasingly supportive relationship with von der Leyen.
The Commission chief's backing stemmed from her own centre-right European People's Party (EPP), along with support from the Socialist & Democrats (S&D), liberal Renew, Greens, and other left-wing groups. However, warnings about her leadership surfaced, with Valérie Hayer of Renew Europe cautioning that their support could not be taken for granted if alliances with the far-right continued.
Leading up to the vote, S&D's Iratxe García expressed concerns, arguing dismantling the Commission amid a geopolitical crisis would be reckless. Initially, S&D members considered abstention but ultimately sided with von der Leyen after assurances against cuts to social programs in upcoming budgets.
As the vote occurred, von der Leyen was delivering a speech at the Ukraine Recovery Conference in Rome. Once the motion was defeated, she took to social media, emphasizing the EU's need to stand united against external destabilizing forces. "Thank you, and long live Europe," she concluded.
