Left and right-wing MEPs are in a race to unseat the European Commission ahead of a midnight deadline.
Both the rightwing Patriots group and the Left group in the Strasbourg assembly say they are confident of collecting the necessary signatures for another vote of no confidence, which if successful would bring an end to the five-year reign of Commission President Ursula von der Leyen.
It is unclear if the opposing political groups will support each other’s motions.
The Patriots say their motion will be treated as a priority.
“It’s a Patriots initiative and we have the signatures of our 85 members – we don’t seek signatures from other groups”, said Danish MEP Anders Vistisen, the Patriots’ group coordinator.
“Only one motion can be tabled so when ours goes in the Left will be blocked for two months before their initiative is voted – but they’re naturally welcome to vote with us,” Vistisen told Brussels Signal.
Left-wingers also confirmed their no-confidence motion was ready.
“That’s our plan”, said Margot Cazin, official at the Left group. It would also be filed by midnight today, she added.
Any no confidence vote is aimed at the entire commission.
The last motion of no confidence, from July, was also tabled by right wingers, but did not receive sufficient support from other political groups, allowing Von der Leyen and her team to survive.
News of the competing motions came day that von der Leyen called for unity during her state of the union speech in Strasbourg.
