Strasbourg: European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen warned members of the European Parliament on Monday that the no-confidence vote she faces this week "plays into the hands of the European Union's adversaries." "The truth is that our adversaries are not only ready to exploit any internal divisions, they are actively inciting those divisions from the start," von der Leyen said in her address during the opening session of the European Parliament.
According to Kuwait News Agency, von der Leyen is set to face a renewed debate on Thursday evening in the European Parliament over two motions of no confidence submitted against her Commission team. This marks the second such challenge she has faced in just a few months. The motions were filed by far-right and left-wing parliamentary groups, highlighting the political divisions within the EU.
Members of the right-wing bloc have criticized von der Leyen's climate and migration policies, accusing her of a "lack of transparency and censorship." Meanwhile, the left-wing members have accused her of failing to exert sufficient pressure on the Israeli government regarding its military operations in the Gaza Strip, amid what they describe as an ongoing "humanitarian catastrophe." Additionally, they have strongly criticized the EU's customs agreement with the United States, arguing that it "favors the American side at the expense of European interests."
The vote on the two motions is scheduled for Thursday. However, observers believe that obtaining the required two-thirds majority is unlikely. Von der Leyen's Commission had previously survived an initial vote of no confidence last July, indicating the challenges her leadership continues to face within the European Parliament.