‘No to no-confidence motion: European Parliament backs von der Leyen — now it’s up to her to decide

Brussels – No challenge to Ursula von der Leyen and her European Commission. As expected, the EU executive gains the confidence of the European Parliament, and the European legislature can continue its work. However, not without jolts, because on the day when the censure motion was rejected, von der Leyen, instead of regaining support and allies, began to lose both. 

The great paradox lies in the discrepancy between numbers and positions. The figures suggest that the European Commission emerges even stronger, while the voting explanations indicate the exact opposite. The Chamber rejects the motion of censure with 360 votes against, 175 in favor, and 18 abstentions. The difference between supporters and opponents is 185 votes.  At the start of the parliamentary term, the Commission as a whole had 370 votes in favor, 282 against, and 36 abstentions, a positive balance of 88. In comparison with a year ago, this Commission acquires almost 100 more votes in favor, but all that glitters is not gold.

Compared with a year ago, 135 fewer MEPs voted, and from the total count of seats (720), 167 MEPs were absent from the vote that saved the Commission and the European legislature. People who did not show up in the Chamber or who were present but preferred not to vote. A political signal of distancing oneself from the European Commission due to policies and decisions that are not shared. Looking at the missing votes, it is easy to identify who “abandoned” von der Leyen: 33 Socialists, 12 Liberals, 16 Greens, and even 18 Populars did not vote. 

The radical left also snubbed the vote, but the fact that 32 MEPs from The Left group opted out is not surprising, given that the group has consistently shown little appreciation for the president of the EU Commission and has practically always voted against her. The 5-Star Movement delegation, which instead participated in and voted for the no-confidence motion, stands out. 

The political reality for von der Leyen, however, is another: she loses pieces of what would be her European governing coalition in the post-election pact, as well as the support of the party of Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni. The list of those not taking part in the vote also includes the 24 members of Fratelli d’Italia, who missed the opportunity to vote against the no-confidence motion and confirm the premier’s commitments. After all, the 24 votes of confidence would never have compensated for the 39 votes of no-confidence cast instead by colleagues in the ECR group.

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“Neither with the right nor with von der Leyen“, said Cecilia Strada, MEP for the PD, who says she was among those who deserted the vote. A personal choice, but certainly not an isolated one within a group increasingly fed up with von der Leyen and her party, the EPP. “Ursula von der Leyen’s Commission got itself elected with the votes of the left, but is working with the right to do right-wing things,” she complains after the vote. “For too long, the Von der Leyen Commission has systematically betrayed the mandate with which it took office a year ago,” she added.

The president of the Socialists, Iratxe García Pérez, is waiting to challenge von der Leyen and sets the agenda: “The State of the Union address will be a turning point,” she makes it clear. It is here, in September, that “we will need clear signals of commitment, and not just any signal.” As socialists, “we want a concrete commitment to our priorities, the same ones von der Leyen committed to a year ago: integrated economy, social growth, social justice, and green transition. And we will need a real political platform.” 

The Liberals also make it clear that they expect something in return. “For too long, Ursula von der Leyen has sought a variable-geometry majority, sacrificing political clarity and pro-Europeanist coherence,” said Sandro Gozi (Re), who makes it clear: “Our ‘no’ to the motion today is not an automatic ‘yes’ to the Commission.” So from now on, ‘von der Leyen must choose: either a strong and credible Europe, or palace intrigues.”

The tone of the Greens may appear different, but the content remains unchanged: “Our vote today is not an endorsement of the direction taken by the Commission,” clarifies the Greens’ co-chair, Bas Eickhut. “The EPP is desperately trying to please its far-right friends, and the Commission is taking the bait. It is time for the Commission to stop falling for Manfred Weber’s petty political games,” he warned.