EU chief Ursula von der Leyen comfortably survives no-confidence vote

The rare vote has exposed frictions between Ursula von der Leyen’s backers and complaints about her leadership style.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen in Strasbourg this week. Picture: AFP

EU chief Ursula von der Leyen comfortably saw off a no-confidence vote in the European parliament but the rare challenge has exposed frictions between her backers and complaints about her leadership style.

Politicians in Strasbourg rejected the censure motion — launched by the far-right over the European Commission president’s handling of Covid vaccine contracts — by 360 to 175 in a widely expected result.

“In a moment of global volatility and unpredictability, the EU needs strength, vision, and the capacity to act,” von der Leyen, who wasn’t at the parliament for the vote, wrote on X afterwards.

“As external forces seek to destabilise and divide us, it is our duty to respond in line with our values. Thank you, and long live Europe.” Addressing parliament earlier this week, Ms von der Leyen had dismissed the initiative as a conspiracy theory-laden attempt to divide Europe, slamming its supporters as “anti-vaxxers” and “apologists” for Russian President Vladimir Putin.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen (L) listens to Romanian far-right MEP Gheorghe Piperea (R) during a plenary session at the European Parliament, where a motion of censure against the European Commission is debated. Picture: Jean-Christophe Verhaegen / AFP

She had urged politicians to renew confidence in her commission arguing it was critical for Europe to show unity in the face of an array of challenges, from US trade talks to Russia’s war in Ukraine.

The no-confidence motion was initiated by Romanian far-right politician Gheorghe Piperea.

He accused Ms von der Leyen of a lack of transparency over text messages she sent to the head of the Pfizer pharmaceutical giant when negotiating Covid vaccines.

The commission’s failure to release the messages — the focus of multiple court cases — has given weight to critics who accuse its boss of centralised and opaque decision-making.

In a moment of global volatility and unpredictability, the EU needs strength, vision, and the capacity to act.

We need everyone to deliver on our common challenges.
Together.

As external forces seek to destabilize and divide us, it is our duty to respond in line with our…

— Ursula von der Leyen (@vonderleyen) July 10, 2025

That has also been a growing refrain from the commission chief’s traditional allies on the left and centre, who largely backed Ms von der Leyen, but used the vote to air their grievances.

‘Not unconditional’

One major complaint from her critics is that Ms von der Leyen’s centre-right camp has increasingly teamed up with the far-right to further its agenda — most notably to roll back environmental rules.

Iratxe Garcia Perez, the head of the centre-left Socialists and Democrats, said the group’s support did not “mean that we are not critical of the European Commission”.

Its shift towards the far-right was “a major cause for alarm”, she added. “The motion of censure against the European Commission has been overwhelmingly rejected,” centrist leader Valerie Hayer wrote on X. “But our support for von der Leyen is not unconditional.”

Italy's Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni’s faction did not back the motion. Picture: AFP

“Pfizergate” aside, Romania’s Mr Piperea accused the commission of interfering in his country’s recent presidential election, in which pro-European Nicusor Dan narrowly beat EU critic and nationalist George Simion.

That vote came after Romania’s constitutional court scrapped an initial ballot over allegations of Russian interference and massive social media promotion of the far-right frontrunner, who was barred from standing again.

Mr Piperea’s challenge was supported by some groups on the left and part of the far right — including the party of Hungary’s nationalist Prime Minister Viktor Orban.

But Mr Piperea’s own group, the ECR, was split on the question. Its largest faction, the party of Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni that did not back the motion.