EU’s von der Leyen to face no confidence vote

European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen will face a no-confidence vote put forward by far-right MEPs on July 10 -- although it is likely to fail. (Reuters/File)
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Updated 02 July 2025
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EU’s von der Leyen to face no confidence vote

  • MEPs will debate the motion on Monday in Strasbourg
  • Piperea criticized a lack of transparency from von der Leyen

BRUSSELS: European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen will face a no-confidence vote put forward by far-right MEPs on July 10 — although it is likely to fail.

The motion delivered to the European Parliament’s plenary session Wednesday reached the minimum requirement of 72 signatures to set a date for the vote.

MEPs will debate the motion on Monday in Strasbourg ahead of the vote the following Thursday.

Initiating the move, far-right Romanian MEP Gheorghe Piperea criticized a lack of transparency from von der Leyen related to text message exchanges with Pfizer CEO Albert Bourla during the Covid pandemic, when the bloc was negotiating the purchase of vaccines.

Their exchange has spurred complaints from numerous anti-vaccine groups, as well as the New York Times, which sought access to the messages in question.

Piperea meanwhile also accused the European Commission of “interference” in Romania’s presidential election that saw nationalist George Simion lose to pro-European Nicusor Dan.

Chances of von der Leyen losing the no confidence vote are slim.

Piperea’s own political group ECR has already distanced itself from the motion.

“It’s not an initiative of our group,” an ECR spokesperson said.

For the motion to succeed, it would require an absolute majority — at least 361 of the 720 votes.


Spain eyes full service on train tragedy line in 10 days

Updated 58 min 19 sec ago
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Spain eyes full service on train tragedy line in 10 days

  • The Jan. 18 disaster in the southern region of Andalusia partially shut the line linking Madrid and Seville
  • “After the replacement, the whole of the Madrid-Seville line will resume service,” said Puente

MADRID: Spain aims to restart within 10 days full service on a key high-speed railway line where a collision between two trains killed 45 people, the transport minister said on Wednesday.
The January 18 disaster in the southern region of Andalusia — one of Europe’s deadliest such accidents this century — partially shut the line linking Madrid and the city of Seville as investigators cleared the wreckage and collected evidence.
“Today we have received legal permission to proceed with the replacement of the infrastructure in the section of the accident,” Transport Minister Oscar Puente wrote on X.
“Our aim is that it is completed in a timeframe of approximately 10 calendar days. After the replacement, the whole of the Madrid-Seville line will resume service,” he added.
The line was Spain’s first high-speed rail connection when it opened in 1992, with the network expanding to become the world’s second-largest after China’s and a source of national pride.
But the accident has raised doubts about the safety of rail travel in the country.
A preliminary report released last week suggested the track was cracked before a train run by private firm Iryo derailed and smashed into an oncoming service operated by state company Renfe.