Embattled EU chief von der Leyen on the brink as she gears up for no-confidence vote

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen is facing a dramatic no-confidence vote in the European Parliament this week, as pressure mounts over her leadership and a series of damaging controversies. The vote, scheduled for next Thursday, comes after Romanian MEP Gheorghe Piperea filed a formal censure motion with the support of 72 lawmakers - the minimum number required to trigger such a move.

It marks the first time in more than a decade that an EU Commission President has faced the threat of being ousted by Parliament and underlines growing anger in Brussels over Ms von der Leyen's conduct during her turbulent second term in office. While the vote is widely expected to fail, with major political blocs already indicating they will not support it, the move is nonetheless a major political blow to the German politician, who is increasingly seen as isolated within the EU institutions. Ms von der Leyen will appear in Strasbourg on Monday to address MEPs in a formal debate about her leadership, ahead of the crunch vote.

European Parliament President Roberta Metsola confirmed the timetable to political group leaders on Wednesday night, paving the way for what is likely to be a bruising confrontation on the Parliament floor, reported Politico.

The no-confidence motion was triggered by renewed scrutiny over Ms von der Leyen's secretive 2021 text message exchange with Pfizer CEO Albert Bourla, in which they reportedly discussed a multibillion-euro vaccine deal at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Critics say the texts should have been made public and accuse Ms von der Leyen of violating transparency rules.

The European Public Prosecutor's Office is already investigating potential "interference" in public procurement, and the Ombudsman has also criticised the Commission's refusal to release the messages.

Mr Piperea said: "She must be held accountable for what I see as obscure and unaccountable dealings at the highest level of the EU."

The vaccine row is just the latest in a string of controversies to engulf Ms von der Leyen in recent months. She has also faced criticism from within her own centre-right European People's Party (EPP), as well as from left-wing and Green MEPs, who accuse her of aligning too closely with far-right parties in pursuit of support for her flagship policies.

Tensions flared again last month after reports emerged that she had quietly brokered deals with hard-right governments in Hungary and Italy to secure backing for key reforms - including a watering-down of EU green rules and a shift in migration policy.

Liberal and Socialist lawmakers have since accused her of abandoning the Parliament's mainstream centrist alliance in favour of backroom deals with nationalist and populist leaders.

One senior Socialist MEP said: "She is playing a dangerous game with our democracy. Her credibility is in freefall."

Despite that, the parliamentary arithmetic makes it unlikely the motion will succeed. Ms von der Leyen still retains the support of the bulk of the EPP, along with many centrist Renew MEPs and some of the Socialists - enough to block the required two-thirds majority needed to remove her from office.

However, insiders say the fact the motion reached the voting stage at all is itself damaging.

One EU official said: "This is no longer just about the Pfizer texts. It's about how she leads - and whether anyone is willing to stand behind her when things go wrong."

If the motion were somehow to pass, it would trigger the automatic resignation of the entire Commission and launch a high-stakes process to replace all 27 commissioners.

Such a scenario is considered unlikely, but not impossible - particularly if more MEPs break ranks or if fresh allegations emerge before Thursday's vote.

For Ms von der Leyen, who has not yet confirmed whether she will seek a second full term in 2029, the timing could hardly be worse.

The debate and vote are set to dominate headlines just as she attempts to reassert control over the EU's legislative agenda and shore up her crumbling support across the bloc.

A spokesperson for Ms von der Leyen said she would "engage constructively with lawmakers and fully respect the Parliament's democratic processes."