How CEE MEPs Voted On Ursula No-Confidence

Central and Eastern Europe (CEE) showed a stark split in support for Ursula von der Leyen, with 103 MEPs from the region backing her in a no-confidence vote, while 61 voted for her removal and many remained undecided, exemplifying a deep political divide within the EU also in the region.

As Hungarian PM Viktor Orbán attends a Gaza peace summit and Czechia’s Andrej Babiš forms a fragile coalition, the EU contends with democratic backsliding. Meanwhile, Ukraine pushes for Tomahawk missiles and a new EU trade deal, while Poland’s judicial reforms fuel coalition tensions.

GLOBAL/REGIONAL

• Hungarian PM Viktor Orbán is the only leader from CEE invited to the Gaza ‘peace summit’ organised today jointly by the US and Egyptian presidents.

• UvdL confidence vote regional math. CEE countries saw 69 votes in favour and 103 votes against in the no-confidence vote against Ursula von der Leyen. Notably, 61 EPP MEPs from CEE opposed the motion, while 32 MEPs – many from the S&D group – did not vote.
• The EPP had no defections or abstentions; however, 9 EPP MEPs, including all Hungarian representatives from Peter Magyar’s Tisza party, did not show up for the vote.

• Democracy shield agenda in the Council of Europe spotlight. We agree, rearming must be paired with strengthening democracy – check our ongoing foresight on this topic: https://visegradinsight.eu/eu-values-foresight/
• Alain Berset, Secretary-General of the Council of Europe, cautioned that Europe’s rapid rearmament, unprecedented since World War II, risks failure if hostile foreign powers manipulate elections to hijack governments.
• He highlighted widespread democratic backsliding across the continent, including in strong democracies, and stressing the need to protect democratic institutions to ensure security.
• Following discussions with NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte at the European Political Community summit in Copenhagen, Berset advocated for a ‘democracy shield’ to counter election interference, suggesting measures like expanding polling bans before elections, while acknowledging the challenge of balancing such restrictions with democratic legitimacy.
• On 14 October the EU interior ministers will debate a draft regulation establishing a common system for the return to the third country. The Justice and Home Affairs Council will focus on regulations about common procedures for issuing return decisions, rules on forced returns, and more requirements for returnees.
• These policies are a typical right-wing communication launchpad, with Polish President Karol Nawrocki preemptively opposing the pact, including migrant relocations, as he wrote in a letter sent to EC President Ursula von der Leyen.

• On 15 October the EU Foreign Affairs Council with focus on defence will be chaired by Kaja Kallas. EU foreign and defence ministers will talk about the bloc’s military preparedness amid ongoing threats from Russia’s war in Ukraine and broader geopolitical tensions.

• EU military industry plans hurt by Chinese ban. The PRC Politburo announced a decision to tighten export restrictions on rare earths.
• In response, US President Donald Trump announced an additional 100% tariff on imports from China from November 2025.
• Gracelin Baskaran, director of the critical minerals security programme at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, warned that overseas defence manufacturers would be affected the most.

UKRAINE