European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen is once again under fire—this time over a trade deal that could leave European farmers paying the price.
The right-wing Patriots for Europe group plans to table a new motion of no confidence over the EU’s controversial Mercosur trade agreement just days before it is due to be signed. A debate in the European Parliament could take place as early as next week.
While the motion is expected to fail, it has a real political impact. It drags the Mercosur deal back into the spotlight at a sensitive moment, with the final signature scheduled for January 17.
Those behind the motion argue that the agreement sells out European farmers in favour of big industrial interests, particularly the German car industry. They say it opens the door to cheaper imports produced under looser environmental and food-safety rules, putting domestic agriculture at a disadvantage and weakening Europe’s ability to protect its own food supply.
The push follows the EU Council’s decision to approve the deal despite sustained opposition from farming groups, several national parliaments, and a sizeable bloc of MEPs.
Jordan Bardella, president of Patriots for Europe, has led the charge, accusing both Brussels and the French government of “capitulating” to economic elites while leaving farmers exposed. The confrontation will not be limited to Strasbourg: the group has also announced a parallel vote of no confidence in the French National Assembly.
This is not the first time Patriots for Europe has used the tactic. Last October, it backed a similar motion—alongside another from the Left—accusing the Commission of ignoring “strong and persistent” opposition to Mercosur. That vote failed comfortably, with 378 MEPs voting against it and 179 in favor.
This time, however, the group is aiming wider than the trade deal alone. According to sources, the motion may also criticise von der Leyen’s leadership style, accusing her of running an increasingly centralised Commission that sidelines parliamentary oversight and takes major decisions with little open political debate.
Patriots for Europe already has the numbers needed to submit the motion, with 85 MEPs backing it—well above the required threshold. The main question is timing: internal sign-off on the final text could push the vote back to the February plenary session.
