Ursula von der Leyen Survives No-Confidence Votes in EU Parliament

In a decisive victory, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen secured her position, defeating two no-confidence votes tabled by hard-right and left groups in the European Parliament. The majority of lawmakers, 378 in the first round and 383 in the second, voted in her favor.

Expressing her gratitude, von der Leyen stated in a social media post that she valued the parliament's support and emphasized her commitment to addressing Europe's pressing challenges in collaboration with her team of commissioners. This outcome shows stronger support compared to a previous vote in July.

Despite the low likelihood of these motions succeeding, as they required a two-thirds majority, the attempt exposed potential unrest about von der Leyen's leadership. The censure motions criticized her handling of trade agreements with the U.S. and Mercosur, prompting further scrutiny ahead of upcoming parliamentary votes on these deals.

(With inputs from agencies.)