STRASBOURG: EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen secured a decisive victory in a no-confidence vote on Thursday, overcoming opposition led by far-right lawmakers. The motion, centered on allegations of opaque Covid vaccine negotiations, was rejected 360 to 175 in the European Parliament.
Von der Leyen, absent during the vote, later stated on social media, “In a moment of global volatility and unpredictability, the EU needs strength, vision, and the capacity to act.” She framed the challenge as an attempt to destabilize European unity, accusing proponents of spreading conspiracy theories and aligning with Russian interests.
The motion was initiated by Romanian far-right lawmaker Gheorghe Piperea, who criticized von der Leyen’s undisclosed text exchanges with Pfizer’s CEO during vaccine procurement talks. The controversy, dubbed “Pfizergate,“ has fueled broader accusations of centralized decision-making within the Commission.
While von der Leyen retained support from centrist and left-leaning factions, allies signaled growing discontent. Iratxe Garcia Perez of the Socialists and Democrats noted their backing was “not unconditional,“ citing concerns over the Commission’s collaboration with far-right groups on environmental policy rollbacks.
Piperea also alleged EU interference in Romania’s recent election, where pro-European candidate Nicusor Dan defeated nationalist George Simion. The vote followed claims of Russian meddling and far-right social media manipulation.
Despite the motion’s failure, the debate highlighted deepening rifts within the EU, with von der Leyen’s leadership style under scrutiny ahead of key policy battles. – AFP
