BRUSSELS, March 10. /TASS/. An internal crisis in the ruling coalition of the European Parliament (EP) could lead to new votes of no confidence in European Commission (EC) President Ursula von der Leyen, Christophe Clergeau, vice chair of the Social Democrats group, said.

"There is also the feeling for some MEPs that if we do not spend more time exchanging and working together [with the European People’s Party], there is a risk of a political accident in the next months … because there is a lack of trust between us," he told Politico Europe in an interview. The MEP added that in the future the group may stop voting for the EU's long-term budget or refuse to back von der Leyen in votes.

Another Spanish MEP from the Social Democrats said that von der Leyen was "practically begging for a vote of no confidence" after her remarks that "Europe can no longer be a custodian for the old-world order" in the context of the conflict in the Middle East. According to several Social Democratic lawmakers, discontent is growing within the group, potentially leading to the faction's leadership being unable to control the actions of its MEPs.

Previously, EU diplomats and officials criticized von der Leyen for exceeding her official powers and attempting to position herself as the EU's chief representative on the international stage, which was particularly evident in the situation surrounding Iran.