The no-confidence motion hit out at, among other things, the long-standing transparency concerns over the negotiation of colossal EU contracts for Covid-19 vaccines.
Had it passed, the bloc's most powerful official would have been ejected from office along with 26 other members of the European Commission.
EU's von der Leyen sails through no-confidence vote
Ursula von der Leyen, the EU’s most powerful official, coasted to victory after a no-confidence vote on Thursday. Some of her centrist supporters used the motion to air grievances and secure policy promises.
'In a moment of global volatility... the EU needs strength,'
---- Ursula von der Leyen said after sailing through the no-confidence vote in Strasbourg
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen easily survived a motion of censure from the far right of the European Parliament on Thursday, though the dressing down she took from her would-be political partners in the process is probably a bigger concern.
360 parliamentarians backed the German center-right EU official in the no-confidence vote,
18 abstained, and
175 voted against her.
160+ members of parliament (MEPs) did not show up to vote.
- "This is one big political show of the far right, to undermine democracy, to undermine our Europe, to undermine European democracy," Greens chair Bas Eickhout said. "[But] you are feeding that beast, and at a certain moment, the beast will eat you."
- Valerie Hayer of the Liberals told von der Leyen to "get a grip so that we can work together with you to achieve what we jointly wish to achieve."
- European elections last year left von der Leyen with no clear majority, but she was narrowly reconfirmed for a second term in office after pitching to work with centrist pro-European parties.
Von der Leyen reached out to the political center on Monday, "addressing all pro-European, pro-democracy forces in this house."
"I know that we do not agree on every detail of every proposal… and I cannot promise that we will always agree on everything in the future. But what I can promise is that we will always be ready to work for compromise and work for unity."
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