Heads up: Far-right lawmakers look to table no confidence vote against EU’s von der Leyen

For some context, Pfizergate refers back to the supposed scandal involving EU president von der Leyen and Pfizer itself over the procurement of Covid-19 vaccines in 2021. It’s primarily in regards to the lack of transparency throughout the communication and negotiating part in buying a considerable amount of vaccines to take care of the pandemic. As a refresher, the EU signed a take care of Pfizer price €35 billion to supply 900 million doses of its vaccine from 2021 to 2023.

The scandal is claimed to be von der Leyen’s dealing with of the deal, together with her personally negotiating with Pfizer and bypassing the general public procurement course of. So, yeah. That is the gist of it.

Now, far-right lawmakers try to carry this up once more in ousting von der Leyen as EU president. Romanian far-right MEP Gheorghe Piperea is reported to desk a no confidence vote in the present day after acquiring greater than the required 72 signatures to start the movement.

That being mentioned, greater than two-thirds of MEPs in attendance could be wanted to topple von der Leyen. And when she received her second time period final yr, she secured 401 votes out of 720 members. That is roughly 56% of lawmakers siding together with her. So even when she has misplaced the boldness of some others, it is not possible she will probably be ousted by way of this no confidence movement.

Nonetheless, she is going to possible need to make some guarantees and compromise within the coming weeks to be assured of her place.