For the first time in over a decade, the President of the European Commission faces a formal vote of no confidence. Ursula von der Leyen and her entire team of commissioners will be challenged next Thursday in the European Parliament, following growing discontent over transparency failures and alleged political interference.
The motion, led by right-wing Romanian MEP Gheorghe Piperea, accuses von der Leyen of failing to disclose key communications with Pfizer CEO Albert Bourla during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. These text exchanges, reportedly instrumental in securing the EU’s multibillion-euro vaccine deal, were the subject of a transparency battle after the Commission refused access to them. Recently, the EU’s General Court annulled that decision, siding with The New York Times journalist who had sought the messages.
Romanian MEP Gheorghe Piperea (Credit: Gheorghe Piperea Facebook page)
“The motion of No – Confidence against Ursula v d Leyen just gone through the filter of COP (Conference of Presidents). There are 79 signatures. Will be debated next Monday and voted next Thursday in Strasbourg,” Piperea announced Thursday on X (formerly Twitter).
Though the motion is not expected to pass—most major parties have signaled opposition—it signals growing pressure within EU institutions. If successful, it would trigger the resignation of the entire Commission, including von der Leyen and all 26 commissioners. A minimum of 361 out of 720 MEP votes is required for the motion to pass.
Historic context and political tensions
This is only the third time a vote of no confidence has been tabled against a Commission in the EU’s history. All prior attempts failed. The most recent was in 2014 against Jean-Claude Juncker’s Commission, over revelations that Luxembourg had enabled tax deals with over 340 multinationals. Earlier efforts in 2004 and 2005 targeted the Prodi and Barroso Commissions, also without success.
In addition to the vaccine scandal, Piperea has accused the Commission of “interference” in Romania’s 2024 presidential election, in which George Simion lost to pro-European Nicușor Dan—an allegation the Commission has not addressed publicly.
Only once, in 1999, has a Commission resigned as a result of scandal. Then-President Jacques Santer’s team stepped down over fraud and mismanagement claims—just before Parliament could formally vote on their removal.
Next week’s vote may not bring down the Commission, but it adds pressure on von der Leyen’s leadership.
Update – July 10, 2025
Von der Leyen Survives Censure, More Challenges Predicted
On Thursday, von der Leyen secured her position by defeating a no-confidence vote in the European Parliament. Out of 553 lawmakers, 360 voted to keep her in office, significantly more than the 175 who supported the motion (with 18 abstentions), which required a two-thirds majority to succeed. Piperea who led the challenge, told POLITICO that while he anticipated the motion’s failure, he viewed the effort as “healthy for the EU.” He also speculated that this action could “open Pandora’s box,” emboldening future attempts to challenge the Commission president, and warned von der Leyen to prepare for “several” more censure bids.
