Ursula von der Leyen has retained her position as President of the European Commission after surviving a no-confidence vote held in the European Parliament in Strasbourg on July 10, 2025.

The vote concluded with 360 Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) opposing the motion, 170 supporting it, and 18 abstaining. The outcome was decisive and leaves no ambiguity about the level of parliamentary backing for von der Leyen at this time.

Clear Outcome in Strasbourg

The no-confidence motion, which marked the first of its kind against a Commission president in the last ten years, failed to gather the necessary support. A two-thirds majority—amounting to at least 480 votes in the 720-seat Parliament—would have been required for the motion to pass.

No surprises emerged during the vote, which followed significant political maneuvering in the days leading up to the session. A turning point came the previous evening when the Socialists, one of the major political groups in the Parliament, decided to vote against the motion. Their shift came after receiving assurances that budget allocations for social spending in the EU’s seven-year financial plan would be preserved.

A Vote with Political Undercurrents

While von der Leyen emerged politically unscathed, the vote revealed deeper tensions within the European Parliament. Several political factions expressed dissatisfaction with aspects of the Commission’s direction under her leadership. The no-confidence motion, although unsuccessful, signals that managing internal political balances will remain a challenging task for the German politician as she continues her tenure.

Von der Leyen’s ability to navigate competing demands and maintain coalition support will be critical moving forward, particularly as the EU faces mounting political, economic, and social pressures.