Von der Leyen EU Commission Faces No-Confidence Vote Strasbourg

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen is set to face a vote of no confidence in the European Parliament next week, initiated primarily by Romanian right-wing MEP Gheorghe Piperea. The motion accuses the Commission of mismanagement and lack of transparency regarding its handling of the Covid-19 pandemic, including withholding information about text messages between von der Leyen and Pfizer's CEO during vaccine negotiations. Although the motion secured the minimum required 72 signatures to be debated, it is widely considered symbolic and unlikely to pass, as it would require a two-thirds majority and a majority of all MEPs to succeed. The vote follows criticism of recent controversial initiatives by von der Leyen, such as a multi-billion euro loan program for defense investments without parliamentary approval, which has caused discontent among some European Parliament members. The vote is scheduled for debate on Monday and a plenary vote on Thursday in Strasbourg, where von der Leyen will appear to address the concerns. Despite some shifting political support, the centrist majority that backed von der Leyen's presidency shows little appetite for ousting the Commission.