European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen faced a confidence vote in the European Parliament initiated by far-right factions, but ultimately emerged victorious. Though the result wasn't surprising, the vote highlighted growing discontent among some members.
To pass the motion, two-thirds of the 720 Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) would have needed to support it, but only 175 voted in favor. The vote stemmed from accusations made by Romanian MEP Gheorghe Piperea, who claimed von der Leyen lacked transparency during negotiations with Pfizer for Covid-19 vaccines.
In an impassioned debate, von der Leyen dismissed the claims as "lies" and labeled her critics "conspiracy theorists." Notably, support for the confidence motion came from far-right groups, while she retained backing from her center-right European People's Party (EPP) and other political factions.
Concerns about her leadership were voiced, with some groups cautioning von der Leyen to reassess her alliances with far-right members. Despite the pressures, she addressed the Ukraine Recovery Conference during the vote and vowed to uphold European values. Following the vote, she expressed gratitude and called for unity in the face of external threats, stating, "long live Europe."
