BRUSSELS: European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen will face two no-confidence votes next week following a parliamentary agreement on Wednesday.
This marks the second challenge to her leadership in less than three months after she comfortably survived a similar vote in July.
Both censure motions are expected to fail but highlight deepening tensions over von der Leyen’s leadership and her controversial tariff agreement with US President Donald Trump.
Many EU lawmakers strongly oppose the tariff deal, which has even drawn criticism from some of her traditional supporters.
Critics have compiled a lengthy list of grievances against the centre-right commission president.
They accuse her of employing an overly centralised leadership style and maintaining a lack of transparency within the EU executive.
Rising friction has emerged even among her backers regarding her handling of key policy issues.
Both centrist and left-wing parliamentarians have alleged von der Leyen is cosying up to far-right factions to push through contested measures.
The most notable controversy involves her efforts to roll back environmental regulations.
The hard left and far right have jointly submitted the two censure motions scheduled for debate on Monday.
Parliament will hold the confidence votes on Thursday following the debate session.
The parliamentary group leaders formally agreed to this timetable during their Wednesday meeting.
Opposition parties plan to use the debate to intensify their attacks on von der Leyen’s tariff agreement with the United States.
A commission source described the current political divisions as extremely deep and perhaps unprecedented.
The source added that the censure motions are creating significant strains within the EU executive body.
“This costs political capital, it costs time. It’s a distraction,“ the commission source concluded. – AFP