Cypriot members of the European parliament were evenly split over a no-confidence vote in European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, with two voting in favour, two voting against, and two not voting at all.

Elam MEP Geadis Geadi and independent Fidias Panayiotou voted in favour of the no confidence motion, though the total of 175 votes was well short of the 480 required for it to pass, while Disy MEPs Loucas Fourlas and Michalis Hadjipantela were two of the 360 to vote against it.

Diko’s Costas Mavrides and Akel’s Giorgos Georgiou did not vote.

The motion had been put forward by Romanian MEP Gheorghe Piperea, who belongs to the European Conservatives and Reformists (ECR) group – the same as Geadi.

He had criticised a perceived “lack of transparency” regarding text messages she had sent to the head of pharmaceutical giant Pfizer during negotiations to secure Covid-19 vaccines.

The text of his motion reading that von der Leyen and her commission could no longer be trusted to “uphold the principles of transparency, accountability, and good governance essential to a democratic union”.

Justifying his vote against the motion to television channel Alpha, Fourlas said that “now is not the time to destabilise Europe”.

“What would a no-confidence vote serve? We would be broken into even more pieces, at a time when Europe must stand united against [United States President Donald] Trump and China and find solutions to many serious issues,” he said.

Panayiotou, meanwhile, said that “I am not happy that Ursula von der Leyen is there because of the stuff with Pfizer, the vaccines, because of her politics in general”.

“I think the Americans don’t count on her in general either. She didn’t get along with Trump and she’s the leader of the European Union. With the sanctions on Russia, with the things we do in general … I’m not happy with the policy she’s outlined for the Green New Deal, that they want companies to develop so quickly for the green transition,” he said.

He stressed that he is “pro-Green” and then added, “anyway, it’s a big issue, I’m not happy with her at all”.

Mavrides, meanwhile, said that his Socialists and Democrats (S&D) group is giving “one last chance” to von der Leyen, “to correct her policies and stop playing games in different ways”, while also “ignoring” the S&D group.

The term “last chance” was also used by German MEP Katarina Barley, one of the European parliament’s vice presidents and a member of the S&D group.

Von der Leyen was not present in Strasbourg for the vote but expressed her gratitude in a post on social media shortly after the result was confirmed.

“In a moment of global volatility and unpredictability, the EU needs strength, vision, and the capacity to act. We need everyone to deliver on our common challenges. Together. As external forces seek to destabilise and divide us, it is our duty to respond in line with our values. Thank you, and long live Europe,” she said.