EU Parliament Rejects Censure

In a significant vote held on January 22, 2026, the European Parliament dismissed a motion of censure against the European Commission. The motion was introduced by the “Patriots for Europe” political group, which challenged the EU-Mercosur trade agreement recently sanctioned by EU member states.

The debate preceding the vote occurred in a plenary session on January 19, featuring Commissioner Maroš Šefčovič. Despite the critical discussions, the motion was overwhelmingly rejected with 390 MPs voting against, 165 in favor, and 10 abstaining. According to parliamentary rules, a censure motion requires a two-thirds majority of the votes cast and must also represent the majority of the parliamentary members to pass.

The EU-Mercosur trade agreement, signed on January 17 in Paraguay, had been approved by EU states on January 9. This agreement has been a subject of controversy, sparking debates on its implications and the merits of the censure motion. The rejection of the motion by a substantial margin underscores a strong parliamentary support for the European Commission amidst internal challenges.