Labour MEPs divided in no-confidence vote on von der Leyen

Labour’s three MEPS were divided on Thursday’s confidence votes in European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen.

Daniel Attard and Alex Agius Saliba abstained, while Thomas Bajada voted against the motion of no-confidence put forward by the far-right. 

In another motion of no-confidence in the commission president, put forward by the far-left, Daniel Attard and Alex Agius Saliba voted in favour, while Thomas Bajada cast his vote against

On the other side of the political aisle, Nationalist MEPs Peter Agius and David Casa both voted in support of the commission president.

Von der Leyen comfortably survived two no-confidence motions — one tabled by The Left and another by the far-right Patriots for Europe group — receiving stronger backing than expected from across the political spectrum.

The motion brought by the far right saw 179 votes in favour, 378 against and 37 abstentions, while the far-left initiative drew 133 votes in favour, 383 against and 78 abstentions. The results underscored how centrist and pro-European forces once again rallied around von der Leyen, despite political differences.

Had either motion passed, von der Leyen and her entire Commission would have been forced to resign — a scenario that could have thrown the European Union into political turmoil at a sensitive time. The bloc continues to grapple with rising populism and Euroscepticism in several member states, while Russia’s ongoing war in Ukraine looms large over Europe’s security.

“I deeply appreciate the strong support received today,” von der Leyen wrote on X shortly after the votes.

The votes reaffirm von der Leyen’s authority at the helm of the EU executive, even as political divisions within national delegations, including Malta’s Labour contingent, reflect broader tensions shaping Europe’s future direction.

Clarifiction: In a previous version of this report, it was stated that Daniel Attard supported the motion by the far-right and abstained on the motion of the far-left. This information was obtained from the European Parliament's official website. Attard subsequently corrected his votes as indicated in the latest version of this article.