The European Commission is threatened by two censure motions deposited in the European Parliament, after the MEP, Gheorghe Piperea, “opened the Pandora’s box” with the censorship motion debated in July. There are no chance that any of the new initiatives will meet the necessary votes, but they will be debated at the initiative of the extreme and left, in Strasbourg, “in a context of internal political crisis, with protests on the streets and at the risk of new early elections,” says Foreign Policy Analyst Radu Magdin.
Photo Profimedia / Archive
The censorship motion is designed to trigger the resignation of the European Commission, and this would be the first time that MEPs debate two censorship motions in the same week. To pass, a censorship motion deposited in the European Parliament needs at least two thirds of the votes expressed, representing most of all deputies.
The current regulation only stipulates that a group can submit a censorship motion with 72 signatures, ie a tenth of the deputies composing the European Parliament, two months after the previous one. On Wednesday, September 10 was fulfilled the term from the vote given on the censorship motion deposited by the far right, in front of the MEP, Gheorghe Piperea.
Two censorship motions against Ursula von der Leyen
The European Parliament is composed of 720 members. The Left group in the European Parliament – GUE/NGL has only 46 members, but has managed to collect the number of signatures necessary for deposit with MEPs from the Green/Ale group, non -affiliated and a MEP from S&D. The other motion is deposited by members of the patriots for Europe – PFE, who has 84 MEPs.
The largest group is that of the European People’s Party (Christian Democrat) -PPE, with 188 mandates, followed by the group of progressive alliance of socialists and democrats in the European Parliament – S&D, with 136 members. The group of European Conservatives and Reformists – ECR has 78 members, Renew Europe 77, and the Green Group 53. Europe of the sovereign nations counts 25 MEPs, and the non -affiliates are 32.
The radical left accuses the European Union of “complicity in the genocide” in Gaza, reproaching them to “close the eyes”, while the far right accuses failures in the field of trade, transparency and responsibility.
This is an extension of the internal political conflict in France – Radu Magdin, foreign policy analyst
Foreign policy analyst, Radu Magdin, points out that “It is important to mention who the leaders of the two political groups who initiated the motions, namely Manon Aubry (La France Insouise) and Jordan Bardella (Rassemblement National). Basically, it is an extension of the internal political conflict in France, at the European level. The left group opened the game with signatures, and the far right immediately entered the competition. It could not remain behind, especially since the pressure comes, first of all, from French internal politics and not from the dynamics in Brussels or Strasbourg.
In fact, the true “show” of the debate and vote will be played in Strasbourg, in a context of internal political crisis, with protests on the streets and with the risk of new early elections. Aubry and Bardella will undoubtedly be the stars of the moment, because they could not miss such an opportunity. ”
A rejected motion
The last motion of censure voted by the European Parliament was submitted at the initiative of the MEP, Gheorghe Piperea and collected 175 votes “for”, 360 “against” and 18 abstentions. The votes in passing the censorship motion came from ECR, ESN, PFE, the left group and not affiliated. But there were also a MEP of Renew and S&D.
Romania has 33 members in the European Parliament. 10 members of the group of the European People’s Party (Christian Democrat) (EPP), 11 of the Group of the Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats of the European Parliament (S&D), 6 in the European Conservative and Reformists Group (CRE), 3 in Renew Europe, 1 in the Green Group/European Free Alliance (Vert/2). Among them, two members of the European Parliament were elected vice -presidents: Victor Negrescu (S&D) and Nicu Stefănuță (vert/al).
The motion of censure of gold accuses Ursula von der Leyen of alleged EU interfectures in the Bucharest and authoritarian elections in the leadership of the European Commission. Although he did not collect the necessary votes, the censorship motion brought the head that criticizes even from the allies.
The MEP Gold, Gheorghe Piperea, opened, metaphorically speaking, “Pandora’s box” – Radu Magdin, foreign policy analyst
In the context, Foreign Policy Analyst Radu Magdin emphasizes that “What Mr. Piperea managed to challenge at European level is not to be neglected. He opened, metaphorically speaking, “Pandora’s box”. The European Parliament does not have the tradition of censorship motions, and no such motion has ever passed. Indeed, there was a case in which a European Commission resigned even though it had passed the vote in the Parliament, but under the pressure of the public scandal. ”
What chances do censorship motions have
“The passage of a motion would involve the resignation of the entire college of the commissioners. Procedurally, a new process of selection, hearing and voting would be needed, both for individual commissioners and for college as a whole. There are no clear precedents, so a precise calendar cannot be estimated. Certain is that the political, economic and social impact on the European Union would be dramatic”, Explains the foreign policy analyst.
The two censorship motions would be debated and voted in October in Strasbourg. However, initiatives do not represent a threat, because, “Basically, there is no real chance that the motion will pass. The PPE, S&D, Renew Europe, ECR and Green groups (even with some punctual exceptions within them) will ensure a comfortable majority in favor of the commission. The majority needed to adopt a censorship motion is very difficult to reach, and the context does not make it more likely ”, stresses Radu Magdin.
