In the opinion of a seasoned diplomat, if one compares the positive vote of the European Parliament in November 2024 (401 votes) approving the ‘von der Leyen II’ Commission (see EUROPE B13456A1) and the negative vote in July 2025 (360 votes against) rejecting the motion of censure against the same College (see EUROPE B13678A1), the European Commission did not lose too many feathers in this second test of legitimacy, just six months into its mandate.
Apart from the fact that a two-thirds...