Romanian MEP Gheorghe Piperea has told Brussels Signal the European Commission President was “unfit” to lead the European Union.
Speaking exclusively on June 26, Alliance for the Union of Romanians (AUR) MP Piperea stated: “Ursula von der Leyen is the wrong person to lead the bloc.
“We’re heading at 200 kilometres an hour like a vehicle driven straight into a wall. We need to change the driver.”
Piperea has launched a motion of no confidence against von der Leyen, citing what he called a growing list of scandals.
The motion, which had the backing of 74 MEPs, was submitted on June 25. While the bar to initiate such a motion was relatively low, removing the EC President required a two-thirds majority of voting MEPs.
With 720 members in the European Parliament, that threshold remained a steep one.
Von der Leyen received 401 votes when she was elected in July 2024 but her support has eroded since.
“I already have 74,” Piperea said. “The majority of them are from my group, the ECR — the European Conservatives and Reformists — but also from ESN [Europe of Sovereign Nations Group], especially Alternative for Germany.”
He said he reached out to France’s National Rally (RN) and Hungary’s Fidesz parties but admitted they had not so far supported his motion. “They didn’t sign. Of course I asked. They said: ‘We’ll see. Probably we’ll vote for this motion.’”
Although formally directed at the EC as a whole, Piperea said the motion primarily targeted von der Leyen herself.
“Some of the Commissioners are very wise and effective,” he noted, saying the rules required the motion to be lodged against the entire body.
Still, if successful, the whole EC would fall — an outcome Piperea said was, nevertheless, unlikely.
“The majority will probably vote again for the Commission, not because they are pleased with her work, but in the interest of stability,” he said
He added the motion was mostly about “accountability”.
Von der leyen “has to come to Parliament and explain”, he said.
In terms of scandals, Piperea focused on “Pfizergate”. That involved von der Leyen and the US pharmaceutical company Pfizer over the procurement of Covid-19 vaccines.
He also cited the European Court of Auditors’ criticism of the €650 billion recovery fund as evidence of alleged mismanagement. Earlier in June, MEPs called for funding under the post-Covid recovery loan scheme, set to expire at the end of 2026, to be extended for 18 months for projects that were already underway.
Only €315 billion of the Recovery and Resilience Facility, the EU’s landmark post-pandemic fund agreed in 2021, had been disbursed to EU countries by the end of May, leaving just 19 months to spend the rest before expiry.
Asked about the timing of the potential no-confidence vote, Piperea said the ballot may happen during the July EP plenary, although it could be delayed until September.
“It could be a hot summer,” he said, referring not just to the weather but possible growing resistance.
The full interview with Piperea is available on the Brussels Signal website and YouTube channel.
