Brussels, July 10, 2025 - The European Parliament overwhelmingly rejected a no-confidence motion against the European Commission.
The motion, initiated by Romanian MEP Gheorghe Piperea, was voted down with 360 votes against, 175 for, and 18 abstentions, out of 553 MEPs present.
The motion was prompted by the refusal of European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen to release text messages exchanged with Pfizer CEO Albert Bourla during COVID-19 vaccine negotiations.
During the debate, von der Leyen dismissed the accusations, calling the motion "a textbook recipe for extremism."
Earlier in May 2025, the General Court of the European Union ruled that the European Commission acted incorrectly by refusing to provide the text messages requested by The New York Times, criticizing the lack of transparency.
Despite this ruling, the no-confidence motion was rejected, allowing the Commission, led by Ursula von der Leyen, to remain in office.