Demands for an inquiry into the controversial Pfizer deal involving European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen have been dismissed in Brussels.
The governing body of the European Parliament rejected the call to have a committee formed to look into von der Leyen’s commitment of €35 billion for the US firm’s vaccines while withholding her text exchanges with Pfizer CEO Albert Bourla.
Under the leadership of the right-wing Austrian Freedom Party (FPÖ), 182 MEPs backed the formation of a committee.
Those in favour included including two Slovenian members of the European People’s Party, all members of the Patriots for Europe group, as well as members of the Europe of Sovereign Nations (ESN), elements of the European Conservatives and Reformists (ECR) and some independent MEPs.
With 182 supporting MEPs, they reached the quorum of 25 per cent of the total number of MEPs needed to form the committee.
Despite that, the Conference of Presidents, the governing body of the European Parliament consisting of the chairmen of the political groups and the President of the European Parliament, rejected the call.
They refused to put the motion on the agenda, meaning it could not be voted on.
“So much for transparency and democracy in Brussels,” FPÖ MEP Gerald Hauser said following the decision.
He accused the establishment parties of continuing to “block accountability” and of “burying the matter”.
Hauser argued that von der Leyen’s vaccine deal done via text messages bypassed all European Union oversight.
He noted that, despite an EU court ruling ordering disclosure of the messages, von der Leyen has refused, instead attacking those who call for transparency.
During the parliamentary debate on the no-confidence vote on July 7, Von der Leyen mostly avoided the criticism of those opposing her. She did, though, go on the counter-offensive against what she called political “extremists”.
Rather than addressing the controversial and still hidden messages between her and Bourla, the EC chief called the MEPs opposing her “anti-vaxxers” and “Putin-apologists”.
In September, two censure bids landed within hours of her State of the Union speech.
The right-wing Patriots for Europe and the Left group tabled separate motions of no confidence, mostly focusing on failures on trade, transparency and accountability.
The Left’s motion also highlighted Gaza, accusing the EC of failing to act against “systemic violations of international law” by Israel.
Both targeted the EC for what they said was its ongoing failures. Both claimed Von der Leyen has lost legitimacy.
But instead of joining forces, the Left and Right appear to be digging opposing trenches, with the Left stating they would not vote with the “far-” Right.
The vote on the motions is scheduled to take place in the week starting October 6.
Romanian MEP Gheorghe Piperea filed an action against European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen for alleged defamation and demanded “moral damages” over her comments in the European Parliament. https://t.co/bn4K36E8BX
— Brussels Signal (@brusselssignal) September 17, 2025
