"Pfizergate", greenwashing fallout spark no-confidence motion against EU chief

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen is confronting a no-confidence vote sparked by a Covid-19-related scandal that threatens to derail her policy agenda for a second term.

The motion, driven by far-right members of the European Parliament (MEPs), has gained enough signatures to proceed following a controversial EU court ruling criticising von der Leyen’s handling of private messages exchanged with the CEO of Pfizer.

Romanian far-right MEP Gheorghe Piperea told the Financial Times that he planned to formally submit the motion on June 26, having secured over 72 signatures required. “The initiative is fundamentally about upholding transparency and ensuring a fair and genuine democratic process,” Piperea said.

Though the threshold to initiate a no-confidence vote is relatively low, removing von der Leyen would require more than two-thirds of the 720-member parliament to vote in favour.

Von der Leyen was elected president with 401 votes just a year ago, but her tenure has since alienated certain factions. Piperea claimed that even some members of her own centre-right European People’s Party (EPP) support the motion, though he acknowledged its chances of success are slim.

Still, he views it as a “crucial opportunity for constructive and substantiated criticism towards President von der Leyen” and a means to compel the Commission to “address concerns and provide justifications.”

No-confidence votes in the European Commission are rare but carry significant weight. The last successful instance occurred in 1999, when the entire Santer Commission resigned amid fraud allegations and transparency concerns, despite surviving a confidence vote. Only four such votes have taken place since then, none successful.

The motion spearheaded by Piperea is rooted in what has become known as the ‘Pfizergate’ court case, which condemned von der Leyen’s refusal to disclose private text messages exchanged with Pfizer CEO Albert Bourla during Covid-19 vaccine negotiations in 2021. The New York Times filed the legal challenge after the Commission failed to release the messages. In May, the EU’s General Court ruled against the Commission, rejecting its claim that the messages could not be found and ruling that the Commission “breached the principle of good administration.”

Piperea criticised the Commission’s actions as demonstrating “a continued pattern of institutional over-reach, democratic disregard, and erosion of public trust in the Union’s governance.” The motion also accuses von der Leyen of disregarding parliamentary oversight — a criticism echoed by both centrist and left-wing MEPs who argue she often bypasses the EU’s only directly elected institution and is overly accommodating to member states.

Adding to von der Leyen’s challenges, progressive MEPs raised a fresh controversy last week when the Commission announced plans to withdraw a law designed to ban greenwashing — false environmental claims by companies — just days before a parliamentary and member state agreement was expected. This move, opposed by the Greens and Socialists, has become a flashpoint for anti-green sentiment, especially within von der Leyen’s own centre-right political group.

Socialists, the Parliament’s second-largest faction, and the liberal Renew group jointly wrote to Parliament President Roberta Metsola, urging her to raise the issue with von der Leyen and EU leaders at their summit. They stressed that “Parliament needs to be properly consulted in line with the principle of sincere co-operation whenever a law is axed,” and called for responsible commissioners to explain their intentions in committee sessions.

The Greens, who had initially supported von der Leyen, have also criticised the Commission’s move. Some EU capitals have voiced concerns that the last-minute withdrawal undermines the credibility of EU lawmaking, according to diplomats close to the negotiations.

Teresa Ribera, the Commission’s Vice-President responsible for green issues, told the Financial Times, “I hope that these messy days can be clarified as soon as possible and that we can reach a consensus.”

Further compounding tensions, members of the European Parliament’s legal committee voted on Wednesday to ask Metsola to take legal action against the Commission for bypassing Parliament’s consent when it decided to issue more debt to fund the EU’s rearmament efforts.

Piperea’s no-confidence motion also references this alleged “procedural abuse,” calling on the Commission to resign due to “repeated failures to ensure transparency, persistent disregard for democratic oversight and the rule of law within the Union.”

By Tamilla Hasanova