Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission, successfully survived two back-to-back motions of censure in the European Parliament on Thursday, just three months after a previous confidence vote. These motions, tabled by the far-right Patriots for Europe (PfE) and the far-left The Left groups, underwent a joint debate on Monday before the MEPs in Strasbourg cast their votes. A motion of censure requires a significant double majority to pass: at least two-thirds of the votes cast, representing a majority of all 719 members of the European Parliament, meaning 360 votes in favor. Both bids lacked realistic chances of success and ultimately failed by considerable margins, demonstrating the consolidated support from centrist parties for von der Leyen's presidency.

The motions of censure targeted various aspects of the European Commission's policies and actions. The PfE's motion primarily criticized the Commission’s environmental policies and recent trade agreements with the United States and Mercosur countries. It argued that these trade deals threaten Europe's farming industry by allowing products that do not meet EU environmental, social, and health standards, thereby creating unfair competition and jeopardizing thousands of European farmers and livestock producers. Additionally, the PfE motion lambasted the Commission's handling of irregular migration and an alleged lack of transparency.

The Left’s motion shared some common points of contention with the PfE, specifically condemning the EU-Mercosur and EU-US trade deals, and echoing concerns about von der Leyen's alleged lack of transparency. However, it also expanded its critique to include the “Commission’s failure to address both the climate crisis and the social crisis across Europe.” A particularly strong point of condemnation for The Left was the Commission’s stance on the Israel-Hamas war, labeled as a “failure to act in response to the Israeli government’s brutal military assaults and systematic violations of international and humanitarian law in Gaza.” During the joint debate, both PfE President Jordan Bardella and The Left co-chair Manon Aubry voiced their criticisms, seeking to persuade their colleagues to support the motions.

Von der Leyen responded with a more conciliatory tone compared to her previous intervention in July, emphasizing the need to focus on delivering for Europeans rather than engaging in political accusations. The voting dynamics largely followed expected lines. The 'centrist coalition' comprising von der Leyen’s EPP group (188 MEPs), the Socialists and Democrats (S&D) group (136 MEPs), and Renew Europe (75 MEPs) largely aligned to vote against both motions. EPP chair Manfred Weber dismissed the votes as a “simple propaganda tool,” while S&D and Renew Europe leaders also confirmed their opposition, though some S&D and Renew MEPs were expected to abstain or break ranks on specific votes.

On the right wing of the Parliament, the Patriots for Europe (84 MEPs) naturally supported their own motion and were expected to back The Left’s motion as well, despite not officially declaring a standard line. The European Conservatives and Reformists (ECR) with 79 MEPs allowed national delegations a 'free vote,' leading to an expected split, similar to the last confidence vote. The Europe of Sovereign Nations (ESN) group (27 MEPs), consistent opponents of the Commission, were also likely to support both motions. On the left, the Greens/EFA group (53 MEPs) was generally oriented to vote against, though some MEPs from Spain and Italy, signatories of The Left's initiative, were expected to vote in favor. The Left group itself (46 MEPs) faced a dilemma, committed to toppling the Commission but hesitant to align with the far-right; however, some delegations, like the Italian Five Star Movement, opted to support the PfE motion.

The final results confirmed von der Leyen's comfortable survival. The motion filed by the Patriots for Europe received 378 votes against, 179 votes in favor, and 37 abstentions. The corresponding motion by The Left received 383 votes against, 133 in favor, and 78 abstentions. These numbers indicate a slightly larger rally of lawmakers behind von der Leyen compared to the July vote, which saw 360 votes against dismissal, 175 in favor, and 18 abstentions. Von der Leyen expressed deep appreciation for the strong support, reaffirming the Commission’s commitment to working closely with the European Parliament to tackle Europe’s challenges. While her survival reflects a growing fatigue among pro-European forces regarding the frequent use of censure motions, battling three such votes in a short period casts a shadow over her second mandate, highlighting increasing polarization that could hinder her ambitious agenda.