European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has successfully navigated a confidence vote prompted by a far-right faction within the European Parliament. Despite the predictable outcome, the occurrence of such a vote is indicative of the growing unease surrounding von der Leyen, who entered her second term as Commission chief just a year ago.
In order for the vote to pass, a substantial two-thirds majority or 480 out of 720 Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) was required. Ultimately, 175 MEPs voted in favor of the motion, 360 opposed, and 18 abstained, while many members chose not to participate in the ballot.
The vote was initiated by Romanian far-right MEP Gheorghe Piperea, who accused von der Leyen of lacking transparency regarding her communications with Pfizer during negotiations for COVID-19 vaccines. The motion criticized her administration for no longer ensuring "the principles of transparency, accountability, and good governance essential to a democratic Union."
During a heated debate, von der Leyen labeled her critics as "conspiracy theorists," refuting accusations related to the so-called 'Pfizergate' and condemning Piperea's arguments by calling him an "extremist" and a "Putin apologist." Despite the strong showing from the far-right coalition, her survival can largely be attributed to the backing she received from her own centre-right European People's Party (EPP), as well as the Socialist & Democrats (S&D), the liberal Renew group, and the Greens.
In recent weeks leading to the vote, various political factions expressed their concerns regarding von der Leyen's leadership, particularly her increasing alignment with far-right agendas on issues such as migration and environmental policy. Valérie Hayer, president of the centrist Renew Europe, issued a warning that her group's support might not remain assured unless von der Leyen reasserted control over the EPP.
Amid the political drama, Iratxe García, leader of the S&D, commented that dismantling the Commission during current geopolitical crises would be "irresponsible," emphasizing their support does not mean a lack of criticism towards von der Leyen's leadership.
As the confidence vote unfolded, von der Leyen was addressing the Ukraine Recovery Conference in Rome. Once the vote concluded, she shared her determination to unify the EU in the face of external pressures on social media, asserting, "As external forces seek to destabilize and divide us, it is our duty to respond in line with our values."
