European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen is confronting a fresh political challenge as she faces two simultaneous no-confidence motions from opposite ends of the political spectrum, the second such attempt to unseat her in just three months .
The motions, filed on Monday by the far-right Patriots for Europe and the hard-left The Left group, highlight the growing discontent with von der Leyen's leadership . Though the votes on Thursday are expected to fail, as they fall short of the two-thirds majority required, they expose deep-seated political divisions and could destabilize the EU assembly whose support is vital for passing legislation .
The push to remove von der Leyen has created a rare point of agreement between traditionally opposed political factions. Jordan Bardella, president of the National Rally, stated that under von der Leyen, "the EU has lost direction," criticizing her for policies that damage European farmers and industries . From the other side, French MEP Manon Aubry of The Left delivered a scathing attack, accusing the EU of complicity in what she described as "genocide" in Gaza and condemning von der Leyen's "cowardice and inaction" .
Despite their stark ideological differences, both groups share significant grievances regarding the European Commission's recent trade agreements . Both the far-right and hard-left have lambasted the EU-US tariff deal, with a recent poll indicating that 52% of respondents qualified it as a "humiliation" for Europe . Critics argue the deal imposes unfavorable terms on European exporters and includes non-binding pledges for the EU to spend hundreds of billions on American-made energy and investments . The highly contentious EU-Mercosur free trade deal with South American nations is another shared concern, with both sides raising alarms about its potentially damaging impact on European farmers and the environment .
In response to the criticisms, von der Leyen dismissed the motions as part of a broader disinformation campaign aimed at dividing Europe. She warned lawmakers that "rivals are not only ready to exploit divisions but are actively stoking them," and pointed to recent Russian airspace violations as evidence of President Vladimir Putin's attempts to sow discord among Europeans . She called for unity, stating, "This is a trap and we simply cannot fall for it" . Her spokesperson confirmed she would participate in the plenary debate to listen to issues and reply, accompanied by her entire College of Commissioners .
The outcome of the US tariff deal and the Mercosur agreement, both of which will be put to votes in the European Parliament in the coming months, remains unclear . The repeated no-confidence motions shows the political polarization von der Leyen faces in her second term, which also includes navigating economic stagnation, Russia's war in Ukraine, and a challenging relationship with the Trump administration.