STRASBOURG — European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen survived a rare double no-confidence vote in the European Parliament on Thursday, defeating simultaneous challenges from both far-right and far-left lawmakers seeking to oust her.

Neither of the two motions — one filed by the far-right Patriots for Europe group and the other by The Left group — reached the required two-thirds majority or minimum 361 votes to pass.

The far-right motion saw 378 MEPs vote against, 179 in favor, and 37 abstentions, while the far-left motion recorded 383 against, 133 in favor, and 78 abstentions.

The simultaneous no-confidence attempts — the first of their kind in the Parliament’s history — reflected deep divisions within the EU’s political landscape.

Patriots leader Jordan Bardella denounced von der Leyen’s US and Mercosur trade deals, while The Left’s co-chair Manon Aubry accused the Commission of failing to act on Israel’s war in Gaza.

Centrist and moderate lawmakers from across the political spectrum rallied behind von der Leyen during Monday’s plenary debate, arguing that unseating her could destabilize the European Union at a critical time.

Following the vote, von der Leyen expressed gratitude to lawmakers for their backing.

“I deeply appreciate the strong support received today,” she wrote on X, adding that the Commission “will keep working closely with the European Parliament to tackle Europe’s challenges.”

The Left group criticized the outcome, claiming it “fails to reflect public sentiment” and citing widespread discontent over the Commission’s handling of human rights and climate issues.

Aubry said the vote “sends a strong message” that lawmakers “will not allow democracy to be trampled on, our sovereignty to be surrendered, or international law to be violated.”

Thursday’s vote was von der Leyen’s second successful defense this year. A far-right motion in July similarly failed, with 175 votes in favor, 360 against, and 18 abstentions. — Agencies