Von der Leyen survives no-confidence vote in EU Parliament, but political warnings mount
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen on Thursday comfortably survived a motion of censure in the European Parliament, fending off a challenge led by the far right.
While the outcome was never in serious doubt — 360 lawmakers voted in her favor, 175 against, and 18 abstained — the underlying political tensions and pointed criticism she received from the center-left and liberal groups signal broader challenges ahead for her leadership.
The vote came after Romanian MEP Gheorghe Piperea, representing the nationalist Alianta pentru Unirea Romanilor (AUR) party and part of the European Conservatives and Reformists (ECR) group, initiated the motion, according to dw.com
He cited concerns over transparency in EU vaccine contracts, particularly von der Leyen’s controversial text exchanges with Pfizer CEO Albert Bourla during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic—a controversy dubbed “Pfizergate.” A recent EU court ruling criticized the Commission for its refusal to release those messages to a journalist, sparking renewed scrutiny.
In her defense, von der Leyen dismissed the motion as part of a familiar extremist tactic, saying it aimed to polarize society and erode democratic trust. She emphasized that all COVID-19 vaccine contracts were vetted and approved by member states and that no hidden clauses or secret obligations existed.
Despite Piperea’s initiative, his own ECR group was divided. Group leader Nicola Procaccini publicly labeled the motion a “mistake” and declined to support it.
More telling than the vote itself was the unease among centrist and left-leaning groups, many of whom used the occasion to air grievances. The Socialists and Democrats, Greens, and Renew Europe factions criticized von der Leyen’s recent political direction — particularly her increasing alignment with conservative and far-right factions within the parliament. These groups voiced concern about her perceived compromises on core issues like climate policy, social spending, and democratic transparency.
The S&D Group claimed a partial victory during the debate, securing commitments to preserve EU funds earmarked for social inclusion programs in the bloc’s next budget cycle. “Our battle for social inclusion continues!” the group wrote on social media following the vote.
Green MEP Bas Eickhout accused von der Leyen of enabling far-right agendas. Liberal MEP Valérie Hayer echoed those concerns, urging von der Leyen to “get a grip” so they could work together toward shared objectives.
Von der Leyen responded by reaffirming her commitment to democratic values and cooperation with pro-European, pro-democracy parties. She acknowledged differences but stressed the need for compromise and unity in a volatile global environment. “In a moment of global volatility and unpredictability, the EU needs strength, vision and the capacity to act,” she posted on X after the vote. “Thank you, and long live Europe.”
Although von der Leyen was narrowly reconfirmed for a second term earlier this year, she enters it without a clear parliamentary majority. The recent European elections fragmented the political landscape further, placing pressure on her to balance alliances among centrists while fending off challenges from both the left and the far right.
According to EU affairs expert Sophia Russack of the Center for European Policy Studies, the vote is unlikely to leave lasting damage. “The last motion of censure was in 2014 with [former Commission President] Jean-Claude Juncker,” she said. “That didn’t damage him at all. He sailed through.”
Still, the symbolic weight of this week’s events—and the public airing of discontent from within von der Leyen’s potential coalition partners — suggest that while her presidency survives for now, the political cost of compromise may grow steeper in her second term.
