Europe Asia News

Von der Leyen is expected to comfortably survive the vote, which in theory could bring down her Commission.

Even though her survival seems assured, the debate has laid bare growing discontent among centrist, center-left, and green MEPs who reappointed her after last year’s EU elections, in which right-wing nationalists performed strongly.

The motion of no confidence was submitted by far-right, vaccine-skeptical Romanian MEP Gheorghe Piperea, ostensibly over von der Leyen’s refusal to release text messages with the Pfizer CEO during the height of the Covid pandemic.

Her stance on the SMS messages was condemned by the EU’s highest court and labeled “maladministration” by an independent watchdog.

The motion also criticizes the legal basis of the EU’s Covid recovery funds and its €150 billion defense fund, as well as alleged interference in recent elections in Germany and Romania.

Behind the scenes, officials worry that low participation and abstentions by mainstream political groups could weaken von der Leyen’s position in the vote.

Sophia Russack, a political scientist at the Centre for European Policy Studies, said abstentions would signal open opposition to her style of governance, adding: “She will survive – that’s clear – but it’s an interesting situation because it’s not about Pfizer. This is a proxy war.”