Ursula von der Leyen narrowly survived the motion of no confidence initiated in the European Parliament, but the political cost was enormous. Confronted for the first time with such a procedure, the President of the European Commission was forced to bow to political pressure and make explicit concessions in order to avoid dismissal. The main “payment”: a last-minute deal offered to the European Socialists regarding the EU’s long-term budget.
Although the motion was rejected, the initiative launched by AUR MEP Gheorghe Piperea – backed by the European Conservatives and Reformists (ECR) and the Patriots for Europe group – seriously undermined von der Leyen’s political legitimacy, revealing deep cracks in the coalition that had brought her to power.
Silence bought with budget promises
The European Socialists threatened to abstain from the vote, unhappy with von der Leyen’s perceived shift to the right, especially after informal talks with Italian conservatives from Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni’s party. The tension was defused only after the Commission President offered a last-minute concession: a commitment related to the management of the EU’s long-term budget.
Many observers interpreted this concession as a veiled form of political bribery – a survival trade-off. Meloni’s allies, notably, did not participate in the vote and even criticized AUR’s motion – a clear sign that some self-proclaimed “sovereignists” prioritize national interest over principle. In contrast, despite political rivalry with AUR, Viktor Orbán once again proved to be a consistent and long-distance political player who does not betray his principles. His message was unambiguous: “Ursula must go!” A new motion of no confidence, initiated by Orbán in the autumn, could prove fatal for von der Leyen.
Piperea: “Pandora’s Box has been opened. More motions will follow”
AUR MEP Gheorghe Piperea told Politico that although the motion had little chance of passing, it set a highly important precedent:
“This move opens Pandora’s box and proves it is possible to challenge the President of the Commission. It won’t be the last motion. Von der Leyen should brace herself for more.”
Piperea also argued that the initiative is healthy for the EU, as it brings the European Parliament closer to the democratic practices common in national parliaments:
“Criticism is becoming the norm, not the exception.”
The loneliness of power – between left, right, and the illusion of the center
Despite surviving the vote, von der Leyen emerged politically weakened. Her traditional allies – the liberals and socialists who supported her first term – are increasingly distancing themselves. The liberals in the Renew group refused to support the motion but denounced von der Leyen’s “games”, accusing her of flying the flag of centrist politics while secretly courting Giorgia Meloni for electoral backing.
Notably, most absentees from the vote were members of her own political circle, signaling widespread discontent. 130 MEPs were physically present in the Parliament building but refused to vote, in open protest against von der Leyen’s leadership. Romanian MEPs Victor Negrescu and Maria Grapini, for example, were in the room but did not cast their vote.
Meanwhile, von der Leyen continues to face accusations of excessive centralization of power, lack of transparency, watering down of the Green Deal, and favoring opaque deals in key policy areas.
The lesson of the motion: Those who shout loudest, win
According to several analysts, the day of the vote marked the true political beginning of von der Leyen’s second term, one launched not with renewed authority but amid backroom negotiations and mounting pressure from all sides.
The lesson is clear: those who shout the loudest and threaten the most, get what they want.
Instead of a calm reconfirmation, Ursula von der Leyen steps into her second term on thin ice – her legitimacy eroded, her political support fragile and conditional. In the European Parliament, the age of silence is over. Criticism, opposition, and motions of no confidence are now becoming the new normal. And von der Leyen must learn to survive in a political environment that no longer tolerates unaccountable authority.
How the vote played out
ECR: Alexandraki, Axinia, Bartulica, Bay Nicolas, Bocheński, Brudziński, Buda Waldemar, Dworczyk, Erixon, Fragkos, Geadi, Gosiewska, Jaki, Kamiński, Madison, Maląg, Maréchal, Mularczyk, Müller, Obajtek, Ozdoba, Peltier, Piperea, Rzońca, Sturdza, Szydło, Tarczyński, Târziu, Teodorescu, Terheş, Timgren, Tomaszewski, Trochu, Tynkkynen, Wąsik, Weimers, Wiśniewska, Zalewska, Złotowski
ESN: Anderson, Arndt, Aust, Bausemer, Borvendég, Bystron, David, Droese, Froelich, Gražulis, Jongen, Jungbluth, Khan, Knafo, Mazurek, Neuhoff, Schnurrbusch, Sell, Stoyanov, Sypniewski, Tyszka, Uhrík, Volgin, Zajączkowska-Hernik
NI: Anadiotis, Beňová, Berg, Blaha, De Masi, Dostál, Firmenich, Geisel, Iovanovici Şoşoacă, Kaliňák, Kartheiser, Konečná, Laššáková, Lazarus, Ondruš, Panayiotou, Pürner, Roth Neveďalová, Sonneborn, von der Schulenburg, Warnke, Zacharia
PfE: Androuët, Annemans, Bardella, Bartůšek, Bay Christophe, Blom, Bonte, Borchia, Brasier-Clain, Bryłka, Buczek, Buxadé Villalba, Bžoch, Ceccardi, Cisint, Dauchy, Deloge, Deutsch, Diepeveen, Dieringer, Disdier, Dömötör, Dostalova, Ehlers, Ferenc, Frigout, Furet, Gál, Garraud, Girauta Vidal, Griset, Győri, Gyürk, Haider, Hauser, Jamet, Joron, Knotek, Krištopans, Kruis, Kubín, László, Latinopoulou, Leggeri, Leonardelli, Mayer, Moreira de Sá, Nagyová, Nikolic, Olivier, Pennelle, Piera, Pimpie, de la Pisa Carrión, Pokorná Jermanová, Rechagneux, Rougé, Sanchez, Sardone, Schaller-Baross, Stancanelli, Stöteler, Szekeres, Tânger Corrêa, Tertsch, Thionnet, Tolassy, Tovaglieri, Turek, Valet, Vandendriessche, Vannacci, Vicsek, Werbrouck, Zijlstra
Renew: Mullooly
S&D: Nemec
The Left: Antoci, Boylan, Della Valle, Flanagan, Funchion, Furore, Kennes, Morace, Oliveira, Palmisano, Pedulla’, Tamburrano, Tridico
ECR: Ruissen, Van Dijck, Van Overtveldt
NI: Kabilov, Yoncheva
PPE: Aaltola, Abadía Jover, Adamowicz, Aftias, Agius, Arias Echeverría, Arłukowicz, Beke, Beleris, Bellamy, Benjumea Benjumea, Bentele, Berendsen, Berger, Brejza, Brnjac, Buda Daniel, Bugalho, Buła, Carberry, Casa, Caspary, del Castillo Vera, Chinnici, Crespo Díaz, Cunha, Dahl, Dávid, de la Hoz Quintano, De Meo, Doherty, Doleschal, Do Nascimento Cabral, Dorfmann, Düpont, Ehler, Estaràs Ferragut, Ezcurra Almansa, Falcă, Falcone, Farský, Ferber, Fourlas, Gahler, Gasiuk-Pihowicz, Geuking, Gieseke, Giménez Larraz, Glavak, González Pons, Gotink, Gronkiewicz-Waltz, Hadjipantela, Halicki, Hansen, Hava, Herbst, Herranz García, Hohlmeier, Humberto, Imart, Jarubas, Joński, Juknevičienė, Kalniete, Kanev, Kelly, Kemp, Kircher, Köhler, Kohut, Kokalari, Kolář, Kopacz, Kovatchev, Lazarov, Le Callennec, Lenaers, Lewandowski, Lexmann, Liese, Lins, Lopatka, López-Istúriz White, Łukacijewska, McAllister, Mandl, Marczułajtis-Walczak, Martusciello, Mato, Maydell, Mažylis, Mehnert, Meimarakis, Meleti, Mertens, Millán Mon, Montserrat, Morano, Moratti, Mureşan, Navarrete Rojas, Nerudová, Niebler, Niedermayer, Novakov, Nykiel, Pascual de la Parte, Pedro, Pereira, Polfjärd, Popescu, Princi, Protas, Radev, Radtke, Ratas, Ressler, Ripa, Salini, Salla, Saudargas, Schenk, Schneider, Schwab, Seekatz, Sienkiewicz, Simon, Smit, Sokol, Solís Pérez, Sommen, Sousa Silva, Stier, Tarr, Teodorescu Måwe, Ter Laak, Terras, Tobé, Tomašič, Tomc, Tonin, Tosi, Toveri, Tsiodras, Vaidere, Vălean, Van Leeuwen, Verheyen, Voss, Vozemberg-Vrionidi, Vázquez Lázara, Walsh, Walsmann, Warborn, Wawrykiewicz, Wcisło, Weber, Wechsler, Winzig, Wiseler-Lima, Zarzalejos, Zdechovský, Zdrojewski, Zoido Álvarez, Zovko, Zver
Renew: Agirregoitia Martínez, Allione, Auštrevičius, Azmani, Baljeu, Barna, Bosse, Boyer, Brandstätter, Canfin, Cassart, Chastel, Christensen, Cifrová Ostrihoňová, Cotrim De Figueiredo, Cowen, Devaux, Farreng, García Hermida-Van Der Walle, Gerbrandy, Glück, Goerens, Gozi, Groothuis, Guetta, Hahn, Hayer, Hojsík, Ijabs, Karlsbro, Karvašová, Katainen, Kelleher, Kobosko, Körner, Kulmuni, Kyuchyuk, Loiseau, Løkkegaard, Ní Mhurchú, Ódor, Oetjen, Paet, Petrov, Šarec, Strack-Zimmermann, Stürgkh, Van Brug, Vasile-Voiculescu, Vautmans, Vedrenne, Wiesner, Wiezik, Wilmès, Yar, Yon-Courtin, Žalimas
S&D: Angel, Annunziata, Arnaoutoglou, Attard, Bajada, Ballarín Cereza, Barley, Biedroń, Bischoff, Blinkevičiūtė, Bonaccini, Borzan, Bullmann, Cepeda, Chahim, Corrado, Costanzo, Cremer, Cristea, Danielsson, Decaro, Dibrani, Di Rupo, Dobrev, Ecke, Eriksson, Fernández, Fita, Fritzon, Fuglsang, Gálvez, García Pérez, Geier, Germain, Glucksmann, Gomes, Gómez López, Gonçalves Sérgio, González Casares, Grossmann, Guzenina, Heide, Heinäluoma, Homs Ginel, Incir, Jerković, Jouvet, Kalfon, Kaljurand, Lalucq, Lange, Laurent, Laureti, López, López Aguilar, Luena, Lupo, Maij, Manda, Maniatis, Maran, Mendes, Mendia, Mikser, Moreno Sánchez, Moretti, Muşoiu, Nardella, Noichl, Pajín, Pellerin-Carlin, Picierno, Picula, Rafowicz, Regner, Repasi, Repp, Reuten, Ridel, Rodrigues, Ros Sempere, Ruotolo, Sancho Murillo, Schaldemose, Scheuring-Wielgus, Schieder, Serrano Sierra, Sidl, Śmiszek, Tavares, Tinagli, Tobback, Topo, Van Brempt, Vešligaj, Vind, Wolters, Zingaretti
Verts/ALE: Andresen, Bloss, Boeselager, Cavazzini, Eickhout, Freund, Geese, Gregorová, Häusling, Holmgren, Kuhnke, Langensiepen, Lövin, Matthieu, Metz, Neumann, Niinistö, Nordqvist, Paulus, Peter-Hansen, Reintke, Riehl, Satouri, Schilling, Sinkevičius, Søvndal, Staķis, Ștefănuță, Strolenberg, Tegethoff, Van Sparrentak, Vieira, Waitz
ECR: Storm, Valchev
NI: Sorel
PPE: Vincze, Winkler
Renew: Andrews, Eroglu, Joveva, Singer, Streit
S&D: Agius Saliba, Andriukaitis, Ó Ríordáin
The Left: Clausen, Everding, Gedin, Sjöstedt
Verts/ALE: Prebilič
