Media reports EU legislators supporting ‘no confidence’ vote against von der Leyen

(MENAFN) European lawmakers are preparing to vote on a no-confidence motion against European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, following allegations of a lack of transparency surrounding a major Covid-19 vaccine contract with Pfizer. The motion, initiated by Romanian MEP Gheorghe Piperea, is set to be debated on July 7, with a vote scheduled for July 10 during the European Parliament's plenary session in Strasbourg, according to reports from Politico and other outlets.

Von der Leyen has come under fire for refusing to release text messages exchanged with Pfizer CEO Albert Bourla during 2021 negotiations for a multi-billion-euro vaccine deal. The European Court of Justice ruled in May that the Commission had failed to provide a valid explanation for withholding the messages and criticized its lack of transparency.

Piperea argues that the Commission’s continued refusal to comply reflects broader issues of “institutional overreach,” a disregard for democratic principles, and declining public trust in EU governance.

Although the motion has met the threshold of 72 signatures needed to proceed, it is unlikely to pass. Approval would require a two-thirds majority of votes cast and support from an overall majority of the 720-member Parliament. Piperea acknowledged the uphill battle but said the vote would serve as a critical platform for holding von der Leyen accountable.

The European People’s Party—von der Leyen’s political group—along with other centrist blocs, have signaled they will not support the motion, though some members have voiced concerns about the Commission’s commitment to transparency.

If passed, the motion would force the resignation of the entire European Commission, requiring the appointment of 27 new commissioners. This has only happened once before, in 1999, when the Jacques Santer Commission resigned amid a corruption scandal. A similar no-confidence motion against former Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker in 2014 over tax issues failed by a wide margin.

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