Fianna Fáil MEPs to meet Ursula von der Leyen to outline views on Gaza

The EU Commission president survived a far-right-led motion of censure in the European Parliament on Thursday morning

European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen survived a censure vote on Thursday. Picture: AP/Omar Havana

Fianna Fáil MEPs are to meet Ursula von der Leyen to vent concerns on Gaza after the EU Commission president survived a censure vote.

Ms von der Leyen survived a far-right-led motion of censure in the European Parliament on Thursday morning.

In total, 360 MEPs voted against the motion, 175 in favour, and 18 abstained.

Ahead of the vote, three Fianna Fáil MEPs — Cynthia Ní Mhurchú, Barry Cowen and Billy Kelleher — had said “reluctantly” they would not be voting in favour of the motion, with Barry Andrews confirming he would abstain from the vote.

The group is now due to meet Ms von der Leyen on Tuesday of next week, to outline their views on the situation in Gaza, and to urge Ms von der Leyen to change her stance on the need to suspend the EU-Israel Trade Association Agreement in line with international law and basic human rights obligations.

“Today, the Fianna Fáil delegation in the European Parliament did not support a motion of censure on the president of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen,” the group said in a statement after the vote.

“We did so reluctantly as Europe needs a commission in place to deal with the significant challenges our union is currently facing.

However, we remain deeply concerned at how the president, and her commission, are dealing with and engaging with the unfolding horror in Gaza.

Other Irish MEPs — Ciaran Mullooly, Lynn Boylan, Kathleen Funchion and Luke ‘Ming’ Flanagan — voted in favour of the censure motion.

Labour’s Aodhan Ó Ríordáin abstained, while no vote was recorded for Michael McNamara.

All four of Fine Gael’s MEPs had indicated they would be voting against ahead of the ballot.