Von der Leyen faces two new motions of censure
Two motions of censure have been submitted against Ursula von der Leyen, the president of the European Commission, by far-left and far-right groups in the European Parliament.
The calls for a vote of no confidence come just two months after von der Leyen survived a first motion in July. In the unlikely event that the motion is adopted, the European Commission would have to collectively resign.
On Thursday morning, the president of the European Parliament, Roberta Metsola, informed the various group leaders that two motions of censure had been tabled against the European Commission, the Parliament's press service confirmed.
Lack of credibility
The first initiative comes from the far-right Patriots for Europe group. On Wednesday, France's Jordan Bardella of National Rally confirmed that he had gathered the necessary signatures. The motion targets the EU's trade agreements with the United States and the Latin American countries of Mercosur.
The motion targets the EU's trade agreements with the United States and Mercusor countries
The second motion is the first to come from The Left group, according to its president Manon Aubry, a member of the France Insoumise party. Belgian MEP Marc Botenga of the PTB party explained his support for the motion by criticising von der Leyen's lack of credibility in her recent State of the Union address, her position on Gaza, and her lack of respect for democratic control in major trade and geopolitical issues.
Conditions
Motions of censure must be signed by at least one-tenth, or 72, of MEPs and must be justified. The Parliament now has to verify that the conditions have been met, after which it will decide on a timetable for debates and votes. These steps could take place during the plenary session scheduled for early October.
Adoption seems unlikely, as two-thirds of all votes cast and a majority of all MEPs are required
This is the first time in the history of the European Parliament that several motions of censure have been submitted simultaneously. Adoption seems unlikely, however, as two-thirds of all votes cast and a majority of all MEPs are required.
Debates and votes
Meeting these requirements would mean securing the backing of the pro-European majority that elected von der Leyen as the Commission's president. The Left has also ruled out supporting the motion tabled by the far right.
The debates sparked by both motions are expected to be lively, however. Last July, a similar motion, proposed by the European Conservatives and Reformists group, was rejected by 360 votes to 175, with 18 abstentions. The result served as a warning to the head of the European executive.
EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, ahead of her annual State of the Union address at the European Parliament in Strasbourg, France, on 10 September © PHOTO SEBASTIEN BOZON / AFP
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