Star Metro - EU chief von der Leyen survives confidence vote by large margin

Lawmakers in Strasbourg rejected the censure motion -- launched by the far-right over the European Commission president's handling of Covid vaccine contracts -- by 360 to 175 in a widely expected result.

"In a moment of global volatility and unpredictability, the EU needs strength, vision, and the capacity to act," von der Leyen, who wasn't at the parliament for the vote, wrote on X after the vote.

"As external forces seek to destabilize and divide us, it is our duty to respond in line with our values. Thank you, and long live Europe."

Addressing parliament earlier this week, von der Leyen had dismissed the initiative as a conspiracy theory-laden attempt to divide Europe, slamming its supporters as "anti-vaxxers" and "apologists" for Russian President Vladimir Putin.

She urged lawmakers to renew confidence in her commission arguing it was critical for Europe to show unity in the face of an array of challenges, from US trade talks to Russia's war in Ukraine.

The no-confidence motion was initiated by Romanian far-right lawmaker Gheorghe Piperea.

He accuses von der Leyen of a lack of transparency over text messages she sent to the head of the Pfizer pharmaceutical giant when negotiating Covid vaccines.

The commission's failure to release the messages -- the focus of multiple court cases -- has given weight to critics who accuse its boss of centralised and opaque decision-making.

That is also a growing refrain from the commission chief's traditional allies on the left and centre, who have used the vote to air their grievances.

- Mainstream backing -

A major complaint is that von der Leyen's centre-right camp has increasingly teamed up with the far-right to further its agenda -- most notably to roll back environmental rules.

"The motion of censure against the European Commission has been overwhelmingly rejected," centrist leader Valerie Hayer wrote on X after the vote. "But our support for von der Leyen is not unconditional."

"Pfizergate" aside, Romania's Piperea accuses the commission of interfering in his country's recent presidential election, in which pro-European Nicusor Dan narrowly beat EU critic and nationalist George Simion.

That vote came after Romania's constitutional court scrapped an initial ballot over allegations of Russian interference and massive social media promotion of the far-right frontrunner, who was barred from standing again.

Piperea's challenge is unlikely to succeed.

It has support from some groups on the left and part of the far right -- including the party of Hungary's nationalist Prime Minister Viktor Orban.

"Time to go," Orban tweeted on Wednesday alongside a photo of von der Leyen.

But Piperea's own group, the ECR, is split. Its largest faction, the party of Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, said it would back the EU chief.

The two largest groups in parliament, the centre-right EPP and the centre-left Socialists and Democrats,also flatly rejected the challenge, which needed two-thirds of votes cast, representing a majority of all lawmakers to pass.

L.Girard--SMC