The President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, is facing fresh impeachment attempts in the European Parliament, after two separate motions of censure were tabled by far-right and left-wing groups. This is the second such offensive in three months against the head of the European executive, whose term has been marked by growing tensions with several political blocs.
These motions, presented Monday in Brussels, have very little chance of success, as they require a two-thirds majority of MEPs to be adopted. However, they illustrate a growing political unease with von der Leyen's leadership, just months before the next European elections scheduled for 2026.
The initiators of the motion, notably from the group Identity and Democracy (ID) on the far right and the European United Left (GUE/NGL) criticize the Commission President for her handling of migration policies, her excessive support for Ukraine, and what they describe as an "authoritarian drift" in the Union's governance. On the left, some MEPs also denounce a lack of transparency in relations between Brussels and major technology groups.
The vote is scheduled for Thursday. Even though the censure bill is unlikely to pass, this double challenge could weaken von der Leyen's political authority in the European Parliament, where she depends on the support of the alliance between the conservatives of the EPP, the Social Democrats (S&D), and the liberals of Renew Europe to push through her texts.
This comes as the Commission still has several key issues to defend, including the revised EU budget, artificial intelligence regulation, and the Green Climate Deal. Some observers believe these motions reflect more of an election strategy on the part of the opposition parties than a real possibility of a reversal.
Ursula von der Leyen, re-elected as Commission president in 2024, already survived a similar motion this summer. She has repeatedly stated that she will continue to "defend the European project with firmness and pragmatism," while calling for unity in the face of growing political divisions within the continent.
