Ursula von der Leyen’s Commission Survives No-Confidence Vote

Today in Strasbourg, the European Parliament held a rare censure motion against the European Commission, brought by MEP Gheorghe Piperea from the radical nationalist party Alliance for the Union of Romanians (AUR). The motion, centering on transparency issues—such as her refusal to release private texts with Pfizer’s CEO—and alleged misuse of COVID-era and defense funds, needed a two‑thirds majority to pass.

Ahead of the votes, Viktor Orbán wrote: “Tomorrow will be a turbulent day in the European Parliament. Members will vote on whether Ursula von der Leyen should continue at the head of the Brussels bureaucracy. The vote was scheduled because of the corruption cases surrounding the President, but we all know that corruption is just the tip of the iceberg.”

There is more at stake here. It is about competence, results, and the future of Europe,”

he added.

“Here is the inventory of the Commission under Ms. von der Leyen’s leadership: European competitiveness in ruins, European energy prices sky-high, illegal migration rampant, gender ideology compulsory, the war in Ukraine a meat grinder, European farmers on the brink of ruin, and senseless green ideology at the top.”

In the end, the motion failed to pass, with 175 MEPs voting in favor, 360 against, and 18 abstaining. Ursula von der Leyen’s Commission received strong support from the European People’s Party (EPP).

In response to today’s vote of confidence, Fidesz MEP Kinga Gál remarked that “it has become clear that Ursula von der Leyen can only continue her failed policies with the support of the Tisza faction and the left-wing coalition led by the Weber People’s Party.” According to her, “this will further deepen the crisis in Europe.” She added that “this vote was only the first act,” warning that “the next motion of no confidence is coming.”

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