STRASBOURG, France — European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen survived a no-confidence vote in the European Parliament on Thursday, July 10, 2025, amid accusations of a lack of transparency in vaccine procurement and other concerns over her leadership.
The roll-call vote, held at noon in Strasbourg, ended with 360 votes against the motion, 175 in favor and 18 abstentions, falling short of the two-thirds majority required for passage.
The no-confidence motion, the first in the European Parliament since 2014, highlighted growing criticism of von der Leyen’s leadership style.
Romanian lawmaker Gheorghe Piperea initiated the motion, accusing von der Leyen of refusing to disclose text messages exchanged with Pfizer chief executive officer Albert Bourla during 2021 negotiations for Covid-19 vaccine contracts. The lawmaker raised concerns about transparency.
Piperea also alleged inefficiencies and potential misuse of funds by the European Commission, as well as interference in elections in member states such as Romania and Germany.
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban expressed support for the motion, posting “Time to go” with a photo of von der Leyen on social media platform X.
Defense
Earlier this week, von der Leyen defended the Commission’s pandemic decisions, saying they were made in Europe’s best interest. She compared her contact with Pfizer to “seeking advice from the best epidemiologists and virologists in the world.”
‘Last chance’ for von der Leyen
Although she survived the vote, von der Leyen faces continued criticism from various parliamentary groups. Concerns persist about a rightward shift within the center-right European People’s Party (EPP), aimed at advancing legislative efforts, including plans to roll back green policies.
Valerie Hayer, president of the pro-business Renew Europe group, wrote on X that while her group voted against the motion, their support for von der Leyen is not unconditional. She called on von der Leyen to rein in her political allies and “put an end to alliances with the far-right.”
The center-left Socialists and Democrats (S&D), the second-largest political group in the Parliament, had earlier threatened to abstain. They ultimately backed von der Leyen after securing budget concessions.
Parliament Vice President Katarina Barley, an S&D member, told Politico Europe that many lawmakers see this as the “absolute last chance” for von der Leyen.
Piperea also told Politico that von der Leyen should brace for “several” more censure efforts, warning that Thursday’s vote may not be the last challenge to her authority. / XINHUA