European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has survived yet another attempt to force her and her cabinet to step down from the helm of the European Union’s executive branch. The European Parliament held its vote on Thursday on two separate motions of censure against von der Leyen, both of which failed.
The two motions were filed by the right-wing Patriots for Europe (PfE) and the Left groups immediately after von der Leyen’s State of the Union speech in September. PfE argued that the EU is weaker than ever due to the ‘persistent failure of the president of the Commission to cope with the most pressing challenges’. The group also accused von der Leyen of lacking transparency and accountability, while denouncing the Mercosur and US trade agreements. The Left group’s motion echoed criticism of trade policy but placed stronger emphasis on what it called the Commission’s inaction over Israel’s war in Gaza.
PfE’s motion secured 179 votes in favour, 378 against, with 37 abstentions, while the Left’s received 133 votes in favour, 383 against, and 78 abstentions. This marks the third time in three months that von der Leyen has been saved by mainstream and progressive factions of the EP, with a July motion of censure filed by the European Conservatives and Reformists (ECR) also failing, garnering only 175 votes in favour and 360 against.
‘The Commission will keep working closely with the European Parliament to tackle Europe’s challenges—and together deliver results for all European citizens,’ von der Leyen wrote in a post on X after the vote. She also thanked MEPs for the ‘strong support’ she received.
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán posted before the vote on X, declaring: ‘The Brussels washing machine starts up again today. Let there be no doubt: the left-liberals will protect the President again today.’
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