European Commission Chief Von Der Leyen Survives No-Confidence Vote Amid Backlash

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has survived a rare no-confidence vote in the European Parliament, defeating the challenge with a comfortable margin but not without exposing deepening tensions over her leadership.

The vote, held in Strasbourg on Thursday, saw lawmakers reject the censure motion by 360 votes to 175—a result that had been widely anticipated.

“In a moment of global volatility and unpredictability, the EU needs strength, vision, and the capacity to act,” von der Leyen posted on X shortly after the vote, despite being absent from the session.

“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.”

The motion was spearheaded by Romanian far-right lawmaker Gheorghe Piperea, who accused von der Leyen of a lack of transparency, particularly in relation to text messages exchanged with the CEO of Pfizer during COVID-19 vaccine negotiations. The European Commission’s refusal to disclose those messages is the subject of ongoing court cases, fueling accusations of opaque decision-making and excessive centralization of power.

Earlier in the week, von der Leyen addressed Parliament and dismissed the motion as a politically motivated attack, calling it a conspiracy-driven effort to divide Europe. She labeled its backers as “anti-vaxxers” and “apologists” for Russian President Vladimir Putin.

She urged lawmakers to stand by her leadership and reaffirm the Commission’s unity, especially as Europe faces external pressure from global conflicts and trade negotiations.

But while the motion was defeated, it served as an opportunity for critics across the political spectrum to air frustrations. Lawmakers from the centre-left and even some centrists voiced concern about von der Leyen’s increasingly close alignment with the far-right—especially on recent efforts to scale back environmental regulations.

“This does not mean that we are not critical of the European Commission,” said Iratxe Garcia Perez, leader of the Socialists and Democrats group. She warned that the Commission’s political shift to the right was “a major cause for alarm.”

Centrist leader Valerie Hayer echoed this view on social media, stating: “The motion of censure against the European Commission has been overwhelmingly rejected. But our support for von der Leyen is not unconditional.”

Piperea’s complaints went beyond the Pfizer controversy. He also accused the Commission of meddling in Romania’s recent presidential election, which was marred by allegations of Russian interference and manipulation via social media. The initial vote was annulled by Romania’s constitutional court, and a rerun saw pro-European candidate Nicușor Dan narrowly defeat nationalist George Simion, who had been barred from contesting again.

Despite the backing of some far-right and left-wing groups, Piperea’s motion was weakened by internal divisions. Even his own political group, the European Conservatives and Reformists (ECR), was not united in support—Italy’s ruling party, led by Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, declined to back the motion.