Catalan MEPs back The Left's no-confidence motion against EU Commissioner Ursula von der Leyen

The Catalan Members of the European Parliament, Diana Riba and Jaume Asens, are two of the supporters of the left-wing The Left party's no-confidence motion against the European Commissioner President, Ursula von der Leyen, and her cabinet.

Riba, an MEP for pro-independence Esquerra Republicana, and Asens for left-wing Sumar, are part of the motion, which required at least the support of 72 MEPs.

The motion, promoted by The Left party, criticizes the trade deal between the European Union and the United States of America, the Mercosur deal, and the "failed" action to back the Gaza Strip during the conflict.

Von der Leyen has "rejected imposing sanctions against the genocide in Gaza," Manon Aubry, co-leader of The Left party, said. "Your time is over, you must leave," he added.

Aside from Catalan MEPs, the motion has the support of Valencian Compromís Vicent Marzà, and Galician BNG Ana Miranda, from the Greens party.

In addition to The Left's motion, the far-right Patriots for Europe filed a motion of no-confidence against EU commissioner Ursula von der Leyen on Thursday. In this case, it was related to the EU-US trade deal and the "inaction" from EU authorities against migrants.

The EU Commissioner already faced a failed motion of no-confidence last July, as there were not enough votes in the European Parliament. The motion was filed by the far-right party European Conservatives and Reformists Group. Back then, it was to due to the messages between von der Leyen and Albert Bourla, CEO of Pfizer, sent between 2021 and 2022, during the Covid-19 pandemic.

After filing the motions, the European Parliament services will study them. Because two motions have never been filed at once, experts need to analyze whether this is possible, and how to proceed if both surpass their parliamentary procedure: with one or two debates, with one or two different votes.

The next plenary session takes place in Strasbourg between October 6 and 9.