- Статьи
- World
- Do not demolish the chapter: Ursula von der Leyen is again facing the threat of resignation
Do not demolish the chapter: Ursula von der Leyen is again facing the threat of resignation
Unsuccessful green policy, support for Ukraine, insufficient measures to combat migration, subordination to the Atlantic agenda are the main accusations against Ursula von der Leyen. On October 6, the European Parliament began discussing two votes of no confidence in the head of the European Commission, and a vote will be held on October 9. Two thirds of the votes of the deputies present are required to pass a vote. At the same time, the experts interviewed doubt that this will be possible. But the very fact of voting for the second time in six months seriously damages the reputation of the entire body. How opinions were divided in the European Parliament and whether von der Leyen will be able to avoid resignation this time is in the Izvestia article.
The main claims against Ursula von der Leyen
On October 6, a difficult week began for the head of the European Commission, and Ursula von der Leyen may be dismissed by the weekend. After the hearings scheduled for Monday, members of the European Parliament will vote on two votes of no confidence at the plenary session in Strasbourg on Thursday.
This is the first time that the head of the European Commission receives two votes at once. It is also noteworthy that they were initiated by factions from different ends of the political spectrum — the ultra-right political group "Patriots for Europe" and "Leftists". In order for the vote to be approved, it must be supported by at least two thirds of the deputies present at the meeting — there are 720 of them in the European Parliament. At the same time, there are only 158 deputies in the factions that put forward the votes.
Prior to that, in July, the European Parliament failed to pass a vote of no confidence in Ursula von der Leyen for corruption in the procurement of COVID-19 vaccines. Now, the parties that have made claims criticize von der Leyen's policy for lack of transparency, weakening of the European Union, and shortsightedness in trade agreements with the United States and Latin America.
Both parties agree that the agreement with the United States, which implies spending $750 billion on American-made energy resources, as well as investments of $600 billion in the US market, is humiliating for Brussels. They also believe that the free trade agreement signed last December with the economic association of major Latin American countries Mercosur will hit European farmers hard.
In addition, the "Patriots for Europe" express dissatisfaction with the way the European Commission solves the issue of illegal migration and conducts a green policy, while the "Leftists" criticize von der Leyen for not doing enough work on solving the social and climate crises, as well as in responding to Israel's actions in the Gaza Strip. Earlier, the head of the European Commission announced her intention to impose sanctions against members of the Israeli cabinet, as well as limit trade cooperation with this country. Such a reaction followed only almost two years after the outbreak of the conflict in the Palestinian territory.
An Israeli soldier in the Gaza Strip
— I am in favor of her immediate resignation. Ursula von der Leyen is a bad "captain" for Europe. During her leadership, our continent has weakened. Its punitive green policy is stifling producers. Massive borrowing and blind support for the conflict in Ukraine jeopardize our finances, and its constant attacks on the sovereignty of nations are unacceptable. During her tenure, the EC has become an ideological machine, almost a religion, to which European nations and peoples must obey. Ursula von der Leyen has increased our dependence, first of all on Washington, and no longer represents the interests of Europeans. If Europe wants to regain its strength and independence, its departure is a necessary condition," Patriots for Europe MP Thierry Mariani tells Izvestia.
The Patriots for Europe initiative is based on concrete facts, Mariani continues, such as abandoned agricultural and industrial sectors, constant subordination to the Atlantic agenda, active support for mass migration through the migration pact, and systematic disregard for national sovereignty.
"The discontent is absolutely universal, but the European Commission will be supported by the factions of the European People's Party, the Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats, the Greens, Renewing Europe, and partly European conservatives and reformists," Ivan David, a member of the European Parliament, told Izvestia. Immigration and militarization are accelerating the decline of the European Union.
The likelihood of the resignation of the head of the European Commission
But, most likely, like the July attempt, this attempt will not lead to the resignation of the current head of the European Commission, experts interviewed by Izvestia are convinced.
— The probability of the resignation of Ursula von der Leyen and her commission is still low, but it will be interesting to look at the dynamics of voting in the European Parliament compared to July, when she experienced similar attacks from MEPs. As in the summer, the head of the European Commission now relies on the support of two of the largest political groups in the EP: the European People's Party, led by the restrained Bavarian conservative Manfred Weber, and the Alliance of Social Democrats, led by the Spanish feminist Irache Garcia, says Daria Moiseeva, Candidate of Political Sciences, chief analyst at ANO Colaboratoria.
The initiators of the vote themselves doubt the success of the attempt to oust von der Leyen, however, this initiative has an important function — to make everyone decide, says Mariani.
— The vote will clearly show who still supports Ursula von der Leyen, who opposes her, and who turned out to be the real gravedigger of European power. Even if the initiative is not accepted, it will at least expose everyone's responsibility. This will become a political clarification: citizens will see who stands for an independent and strong Europe, and who defends the status quo of a technocratic and obedient Europe.
However, there are enough votes in the European Parliament in support of the current head of the European Commission.
— I consider all this talk about discontent and a possible vote of no confidence in Ursula von der Leyen nonsense. These are mostly political speculations that have no real basis in the current situation. The European Commission continues to work as usual, and there are no serious or credible movements in parliament that would indicate a real risk of a vote of no confidence," Tomasz Zdechowski, a member of the European People's Party, tells Izvestia.
At the same time, the increase in the number of attempts to pass a vote of no confidence indicates a growing crisis in European institutions of power, political analyst Egor Belyachkov believes. The lack of consolidation around the head of the European Commission and the appearance of various protest groups in the European Parliament indicate the ongoing process of fragmentation of the EU's political landscape, the expert noted.
— In the future, we can expect an increase in attempts to pass a vote of no confidence in von der Leyen or other protest forms of expression of political activity of various groups of the European Parliament, which see the deterioration of the situation in their own countries and better understand the mood of their voters than the EU leadership, one of the main places in which von der Leyen occupies. Much also depends on her actions. If she can propose an adequate way out of the current impasse for the EU, it will increase her chances of maintaining her reputation and leadership position in the union," said Egor Belyachkov.
Despite all the complaints about her work, Ursula von der Leyen remains the most preferred candidate for the post of head of the European Commission for the leaders of many countries, former MEP Gunnar Beck said in an interview with Izvestia.
"She is the worst, most incompetent and most corrupt head of the European Commission in history, but she has very good connections, and although she is unpopular among EU leaders, the European Commission is not elected, and it will exist as long as Macron, Merz and Meloni support her," he notes.
However, if it comes to von der Leyen's removal, there is at least one area of European politics that will remain unchanged, experts say, and that is continued support for Ukraine in its conflict with Russia. The political mainstream formed in most European countries over the past few years, ready to support Kiev to the very end, holds strong positions and is not going to give up yet, Belyachkov explains.
— First of all, the most numerous political groups of the European Parliament support the continuation of aid allocation. Secondly, the vote of no confidence in Ursula von der Leyen is an internal parliamentary game of the EU. All key financing decisions are formulated and adopted at the intergovernmental level — in the European Council and the Council of the EU," said Daria Moiseeva.
The Parliament participates in the approval of legally binding decisions, but the powers of this institution are not enough to reformulate the strategic course set from above (by the European Council), the expert concluded.
Переведено сервисом «Яндекс Переводчик»
