European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, who narrowly survived a no-confidence vote before the summer break, could soon face fresh attempts to unseat her as opposition groups prepare new motions of censure, Euronews reported.
The Left group and the far-right Patriots for Europe are separately working on motions to topple the Commission, which could be tabled in the coming weeks once the required threshold of 72 signatures—one-tenth of the Parliament—is met.
Under European Parliament rules, once the signatures are verified, the president of the Parliament must inform lawmakers immediately, and a debate on the motion must be scheduled at least 24 hours later.
Von der Leyen, the first woman to lead the European Commission, began her second mandate in July 2024 after securing parliamentary approval.
Thomas Shannon, spokesperson for the Left group, confirmed that its motion is “well under way” and enjoys unanimous support within the group, which opposes von der Leyen’s policies on issues ranging from workers’ rights to climate initiatives. “The Commission is going against everything we stand for, by sacrificing workers and destroying the Green Deal,” Shannon said.
The Left currently holds 46 seats, meaning it still needs 26 more signatures. However, it has ruled out seeking backing from the far-right Patriots for Europe or the European Conservatives and Reformists.
Meanwhile, the Patriots for Europe—which includes France’s National Rally, Hungary’s Fidesz, and Italy’s The League—have been preparing their own censure motion since before the summer recess, having supported the previous vote in July, Euronews added.
