Von der Leyen’s Commission cannot remain in power
Having collected the necessary minimum of 72 signatures, in the early hours of the morning The Left tabled its motion of censure against the European Commission and its President Ursula von der Leyen
The motion of censure tabled by a broad coalition of MEPs led by The Left calls for the resignation of the entire Commission on the basis that President von der Leyen and her College of Commissioners has signed off on a number of detrimental trade deals with no democratic mandate, has failed to act against the Israeli government’s systemic violations of international law in Gaza, and the President’s egregious failures in transparency and accountability.
In particular, the motion of censure takes aim at the EU-US agreement that saw the European Union acquiesce to every demand by Trump, and the signing of the EU-Mercosur agreement without the support or mandate of European citizens. The motion also cites the Commission’s incapacity to address deepening social and climate crises following significant backtracking under the aegis of the Commission’s so-called ‘simplification agenda’.
Co-chair of The Left Manon Aubry (La France Insoumise, France) said: “Von der Leyen’s poor State of the Union address has of course done nothing to repair the terrible damage she has caused in just one year in office. She has refused to take strong sanctions against the genocide in Gaza. She has forced through destructive trade deals such as Mercosur without a democratic mandate. She has imposed austerity and social hardship on the many while serving the few. And she has abandoned the ecological transition in favour of corporate profits. Her time is over. She needs to go”
Co-chair of The Left Martin Schirdewan (Die Linke, Germany) said: “Under Ursula von der Leyen’s leadership, this Commission has failed on every front. The Commission’s failure in EU-US negotiations have cost the European economy dearly, while von der Leyen has chosen to bypass elected representatives in order to get the Mercosur and Mexico trade deals over the line. To say she has overstepped her mandate is an understatement, and we will be the ones to hold her to account.”
