European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has survived yet another vote of no confidence in the European Parliament, reinforcing the formal stability of the EU’s executive leadership while exposing persistent political fractures within the bloc. The latest vote marks the fourth attempt in seven months to dismiss her Commission.
The motion was backed by 165 lawmakers, while 390 voted against it and ten abstained. Brought forward by the Patriots for Europe group, the initiative followed a plenary debate led by Trade Commissioner Maroš Šefčovič. Von der Leyen’s absence from the debate drew criticism from opponents, who portrayed it as a sign of detachment from mounting parliamentary concerns.
At the heart of the debate was the EU’s trade strategy, particularly the agreement with Mercosur countries. Šefčovič defended the deal as strategically essential at a time when the United States is increasingly turning to tariffs and China is expanding its influence in Latin America. According to the Commission, the agreement signals Europe’s commitment to free trade, legal certainty and multilateral cooperation.
Procedurally, removing the Commission remains an uphill battle. A two-thirds majority of votes cast is required, a threshold no motion has come close to reaching. Yet the repeated attempts themselves reflect growing dissatisfaction among parts of the Parliament.
Analysts see the pattern as symptomatic of deeper divisions within the EU’s political landscape. While von der Leyen continues to withstand these challenges, the frequency of no-confidence motions suggests that the Commission’s authority increasingly rests on fragile alliances rather than broad-based consensus.