Von der Leyen accuses critics of serving Russia
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has claimed that she is being targeted by a Russian-backed campaign, as she urged MEPs not to support attempts to oust her.
The EU’s top executive faces twin challenges this week from both left- and right-wing factions in the European Parliament. During a debate on Monday, von der Leyen repeated her earlier defense from July, when she survived a previous censure vote, accusing her detractors of doing Russian President Vladimir Putin’s bidding.
In her address, von der Leyen alleged that Putin had recently “crowed about what he coined as the cracks of the edifice of Europe” and that he was “not hiding his glee and support for all of his obedient friends in Europe who are doing his work for him.”
“This is the oldest trick in the book: sow division, spread disinformation, create a scapegoat, all to turn Europeans against each other,” von der Leyen alleged.
Speaking at the Valdai Discussion Club last week, Putin lamented what he described as missed opportunities for cooperation with the EU, as it increasingly abandons traditional values and dilutes national identities. He noted that then-German Chancellor Helmut Kohl once told him in the 1990s that Russia and the EU were natural partners.
“That is not our business – it’s an internal European debate. But if that basis of values is gone, then the Europe that we all loved will be too,” Putin remarked. He added that the growing success of nationalist parties across Europe reflected this identity crisis.
While Politico predicted on Monday that von der Leyen will likely survive the upcoming confidence votes – both set for Thursday, October 9 – it described them as a sign of deepening discontent from lawmakers. An official working for the EU’s executive body told the outlet there is “clear frustration in Parliament toward this Commission,” adding that “it would be great if they raised the threshold” for future attempts to force a vote of no-confidence.
