Leftist Ursula von der Leyen, president of the European Commission, faces a motion of censure this week in the European Parliament that seeks to remove her from office, due to text messages she allegedly exchanged with a senior pharmaceutical executive during the COVID-19 pandemic, along with other serious accusations.
The motion was promoted by the European right, and now European Union lawmakers will debate von der Leyen's political future in Strasbourg, France, with her confirmed presence, with a vote scheduled for Thursday. It is important to note that the European Commission is the body responsible for proposing legislation and ensuring its enforcement within the bloc.
Although motions of censure in the European Parliament are rare and it is anticipated that von der Leyen will overcome it, the initiative reflects growing anger toward her leftist leadership and that of her allies.
La izquierdista Ursula von der Leyen, presidente de la Comisión Europea.
Driven by right-wing MEPs, the motion includes various accusations: from her lack of transparency during negotiations to purchase COVID-19 vaccines with major pharmaceutical companies such as Pfizer, to the misuse of European funds and interference in elections in other countries, particularly in Germany and Romania.
In this context, other political groups will take advantage of the debate to question the leadership style of the president of the Commission. Some accuse her of trying to evade Parliament in order to make decisions in an authoritarian manner.
The most notable precedent of a successful motion of censure in the history of the European Parliament occurred in 1999, when pressure forced the entire Commission presided over by Jacques Santer to resign, following allegations of fraud, mismanagement, and nepotism.
Viktor Orbán, primer ministro de Hungría.
Recently, Hungary's Prime Minister, Viktor Orbán, anticipated that this Thursday will be a "hectic day" in the European Parliament, due to the motion of censure and warned that her "corruption is just the tip of the iceberg."
In a message shared on his social media, Orbán stated: "Tomorrow is the hour of truth: on one side, Brussels's imperial elite; on the other, patriots and common sense. No evasions, a decision must be made." According to the Hungarian leader, what is at stake is "competence, results, and the future of Europe."
He also took the opportunity to launch harsh criticism against the policies promoted by the Commission under von der Leyen's administration, specifically targeting illegal immigration, the "gender ideology" and what he described as a "senseless green ideology." "Madam President, leadership means responsibility. It's time to go!" Orbán concluded.
