Romanian MEP Gheorghe Piperea has sparked a political firestorm in Brussels, securing the 72 signatures required to trigger a no-confidence vote against the left-liberal European Commission President, Ursula von der Leyen.
The threshold, representing one-tenth of the total 720 seats in the EU Parliament, came primarily from the national conservative groups: the European Conservatives and Reformists (ECR), the Patriots, and the Europe of Sovereign Nations (ESN).
While the ESN backed the motion unanimously, the ECR’s largest delegation, Giorgia Meloni’s Fratelli d’Italia, conspicuously abstained. Shockingly, even members of von der Leyen’s own European People’s Party (EPP) signed the petition, exposing fractures within her political base.
The no-confidence vote stems from the ongoing fallout of “Pfizergate”. Her deleted private communications with Pfizer CEO Albert Bourla, tied to a staggering €21.5 billion contract for 1.1 billion doses of COVID-19 vaccines, have fueled accusations of opacity and cronyism.
The European Commission’s refusal to disclose these messages led to a high-profile lawsuit by The New York Times, with the EU’s top court ruling against the Commission on all counts
Von der Leyen’s troubles don’t end there. Her increasingly authoritarian governance style has alienated even allies. The Commission’s recent effort to sidestep parliamentary approval for a €150 billion “SAFE” loan scheme aimed at enhancing the EU’s defense capabilities faced sharp criticism.
By invoking an emergency clause in the Treaty of Lisbon, von der Leyen sidelined the European Parliament, prompting a rare rebuke from EPP ally and Parliament President Roberta Metsola.
Metsola warned that the move “undermines democratic legitimacy by weakening Parliament’s legislative and scrutiny functions.” Despite the controversy, the SAFE proposal was approved on May 27 without a parliamentary vote, a victory that may come back to haunt von der Leyen.
Analysts doubt the motion will secure the two-thirds majority needed to oust von der Leyen, but the fallout from public hearings could inflict lasting damage. Previously unseen documents from Pfizergate are likely to surface, thrusting the scandal from the confines of the courtroom into the public spotlight.
The defection of EPP members signals a crumbling unity that could embolden more MEPs to break ranks.
Piperea, while realistic, remains hopeful, “We could gather a couple hundred votes, which may trigger a broader debate among politicians and the public, possibly leading to her voluntary resignation”.
Historical precedent supports his optimism, a similar no-confidence push amid allegations of corruption led to the resignation of Commission President Jacques Santer in the 1990s.
The European public will be watching closely as von der Laden is forced to defend herself in Parliament. The pressure is mounting and Queen Ursula can no longer evade the glare of public scrutiny.
The post EU Commission ‘Queen’ Ursula von der Leyen Braces for No-Confidence Vote Showdown appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.
