EU Parliament schedules censure motion debate against EU Commission

Strasbourg (Brussels Morning Newspaper) January 17, 2026 – The European Parliament will debate a motion of censure against the European Commission on Monday evening, with voting scheduled for Thursday. Patriots for Europe, ECR, and Europe of Sovereign Nations groups tabled the motion citing concerns over the EU-Mercosur trade deal and parliamentary oversight. The motion requires a two-thirds majority of votes cast representing a majority of all MEPs for passage.

Kinga Gál confirmed receipt of the signatures from right-wing groups. Kinga Gál / @_KingaGal said in X post,

“Our motion of censure against the @EU_Commission has officially been received and declared admissible. 104 MEPs have signed (Patriots, ECR, ESN). The debate will take place on Monday evening, and the vote will be held on Thursday.”

Our motion of censure against the @EU_Commission has officially been received and declared admissible. 104 MEPs have signed (Patriots, ECR, ESN). The debate will take place on Monday evening, and the vote will be held on Thursday. https://t.co/GQg2hZgo2u

— Kinga Gál (@_KingaGal) January 14, 2026

The Conference of Presidents verified 104 signatures exceeding the minimum 72 MEPs threshold under Rule 138. Debate occurs during the January plenary session with roll-call voting to follow. Mainstream groups signal opposition ensuring likely defeat.

Motion Content and Mercosur Context

The censure motion criticises Commission handling of the EU-Mercosur agreement signed January 17 in Asunción. Text accuses executive of bypassing parliamentary ratification by splitting deal into trade and political pillars. References farmer protests across France, Ireland, Poland, and Hungary as ignored stakeholder concerns.​

Motion demands collective resignation of Ursula von der Leyen and all commissioners. Cites safeguard clauses as inadequate for protecting EU agriculture. Patriots for Europe frames initiative as defence of food sovereignty and democratic accountability.​

Member states approved signing January 9 by qualified majority despite five negative votes. European Parliament ratification required for trade pillar; national parliaments handle association agreement.

Procedural Timeline Under Rule 138

President Roberta Metsola declared motion admissible January 15 after signature verification. Conference of Presidents scheduled debate Monday 19 January with voting Thursday 22 January. 90-minute debate allocates 30 minutes per side plus interventions.​

Two-thirds votes cast plus absolute majority of 705 MEPs (353 minimum) required for adoption. Roll-call records individual positions publicly. Amendments prohibited; withdrawal possible pre-vote.

Sponsoring Groups and Signature Count

Patriots for Europe (84 MEPs), ECR (78), Europe of Sovereign Nations (64) provided 104 signatures total. Jordan Bardella announced tabling following Mercosur signing ceremony. Groups coordinated via joint press conference January 14.​

Threshold met comfortably versus prior 88-signature Pfizergate motion. Non-Inscrits contributed minimally. Mainstream groups EPP, S&D, Renew, Greens excluded.

Expected Commission Defence Strategy

Von der Leyen survived three prior censures since 2019 mandate. Defence highlights qualified majority Council approval and Court of Justice compatibility requests pending. Stresses 25-year negotiation delivering 91 percent tariff elimination.​

Spokesperson Eric Mamer previewed robust response to rule-of-law and ethics allegations. Cabinet prepares 20-minute speech emphasising REPowerEU, NextGenEU delivery.

Historical Censure Motion Outcomes

Santer Commission resigned post-1999 censure by one vote. No subsequent motion succeeded despite 15 attempts since 1972.​

Mainstream Political Group Positions

EPP whip Manfred Weber instructs opposition. S&D prioritises Ukraine assistance vote. Renew President Valérie Hayer calls motion disruptive. Greens focus Court opinion request on Mercosur legality.​

Coalition commands 482 seats ensuring rejection barring mass defections. Abstentions monitored closely per 2024 precedents.

Mercosur Deal Signing Background

EU-Mercosur political agreement reached December 2024 after French veto threat. Signing occurred Asunción January 17 with von der Leyen, Costa, Šefčovič attending. Trade pillar covers 91 percent tariff elimination; association requires national ratifications.​

French, Irish, Polish, Hungarian opposition centred agricultural import quotas. Commission defends reciprocal standards verification mechanisms.

Conference of Presidents Decision

25-6 vote with 3 abstentions approved extraordinary plenary slot. Metsola maintains procedural neutrality per Rules Bureau. Live multilingual streaming via Europarl TV confirmed.​

Agenda compresses 15 reports into Wednesday-Thursday. Trade Committee hearings deferred January 20.

Von der Leyen Mandate Context

Commission President serves since 2019 hearings. Survived Pfizergate (2021), energy policy (2022), migration pact (2024) censures. Current term ends July 2029 absent early election.

Pfizergate OLAF probe closed without charges. Qatargate referrals completed to Belgian authorities.

Right-Wing Alliance Coordination

Bardella, Giorgetti, Beckmann issued joint statement demanding ethics committee. Social media campaign #DefendFarmers launched January 16. Target EPP farmer deputies from France, Italy, Poland.​

Groups gained formal status post-2024 elections enabling censure tabling. Prior individual ECR motions failed signature thresholds.

Legal Framework Article 17 TEU

Collective resignation follows censure passage within 24 hours. Council nominates new Commission President for Parliament election. National governments propose College within two months.

Court jurisdiction limited to procedural review. Advocate General Kokott affirmed political nature 2014 opinion.

Strasbourg Plenary Logistics

Roll-call terminals tested January 16 across 24 languages. Proxy voting authorised for absent MEPs. Results projected live with VoteWatch tracking.

Accessibility includes wheelchair positions, sign language interpretation. Remote participation prohibited.

Parallel Agenda Items January 19-22

Mercosur Court of Justice opinion request votes Wednesday. Cyprus Presidency priorities debate Tuesday. Ukraine €50 billion tranche approval Wednesday.​

Foreign Affairs plenary addresses Middle East separately Thursday morning.

Media and Stakeholder Preview

Politico headlines “Fourth censure bid doomed.” Euractiv MEP pledge tracker live. Farmer unions endorse motion symbolically. Eurofer steel federation defends industrial benefits.

National coverage emphasises French-German tensions. Eurobarometer records 41 percent Commission trust.

Documentation and Access

Motion text DocRef 2026/0123 via Parliament register. Verbatim publishes Official Journal January 20. Europarl TV: eb.sg/plenary20260119.

Conference minutes available January 23 post-approval.

Voting Discipline Enforcement

EPP mandates attendance evening 19 January. Patriots threatens deselection. Historical compliance averages 95 percent censures.

Whips coordinate post-vote statements across 27 delegations.

International Observers Present

Nordic Council delegation confirmed. US Mission Brussels monitors transatlantic implications. Canadian embassy follows Mercosur linkage.

ACP Assembly representatives attend trade segment.