BRUSSELS, July 10. /TASS/. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen suspects certain "external forces" are trying to divide the EU, but her narrow escape in today's no confidence vote shows that the problems may be internal.

"As external forces seek to destabilize and divide us, it is our duty to respond in line with our values. Thank you, and long live Europe," von der Leyen wrote on X.

The European Union "needs strength, vision, and the capacity to act," she argued.

Earlier, a diplomat in Brussels told TASS that the results of the no-confidence vote on the EU chief "sent shockwaves through Brussels." Even supporters of the motion expected some 15% to 20% of members to support the move, and "the share of those dissatisfied with the work of the European Commission exceeded these expectations," he said.

The diplomat also opined that the vote "will not affect the political course being pursued by the European Commission." According to him, next, the EC "will probably launch a large-scale media campaign for damage control, one that is likely to attribute the discontent with how the European Commission runs things to external forces," he explained.

Von der Leyen survived a no-confidence vote in the European Parliament at a plenary session in Strasbourg on Thursday. The vote followed allegations of corruption and misconduct in the EU’s procurement of COVID-19 vaccines. Out of 553 MEPs who showed up to cast a ballot, 360 voted to reject the motion, with 175 in favor and 18 abstaining.