While the other five Estonian MEPs voted in favor of von der Leyen staying put, Madison backed the no-confidence motion, while Toom abstained.

While both MEPs are in the same home party, Madison, formerly of the Conservative People's Party of Estonia (EKRE) and who joined Center last August, is a member of the anti-federalist European Conservatives and Reformists Group (ECR) group, which brought the motion to the table, while Toom belongs to the liberal Renew Europe group.

Toom said while she is no fan of the incumbent, she did not want to capitulate to the far-right either.

"I don't want to support Von der Leyen, but I didn't want to support the far-right either," Toom told ERR on Friday.

A no-confidence vote against Von der Leyen passing would have meant the dismissal of the entire college of commissioners and the need to find a new leader and form a new commission, Toom noted.

This would spell around half a year of leadership vacuum while the process was carried out, something which the EU cannot afford in the current international situation, Toom added.

Toom noted that she is nonetheless dissatisfied with von der Leyen and the work of the Commission she leads in several respects. While when Von der Leyen was confirmed to return to office by the European Parliament last year, she made some major promises, these have not materialized to this day, Toom said. "Very few legislative initiatives are coming from the Commission; instead, there are more roadmaps and similar types of documents."

On the day, Von der Leyen won the confidence vote mainly thanks to the votes from her home group – the European People's Party (EPP) – whose Estonian members include Riho Terras and Jüri Ratas (both of Isamaa). The two Social Democrat MEPs (Marina Kaljurand and Sven Mikser), the Greens, and the Renew Europe group (which includes Reform MEP Urmas Paet), also voted in favor of Von der Leyen.

A total of 360 votes opposed the no-confidence vote compared with 175 in favor, meaning the motion failed.

More no-confidence motions can be expected soon, Toom added, noting how many MEPs who usually support the current Commission criticized Von der Leyen at Monday's parliamentary session, something which reportedly prompted her to leave the session early.

EU insider publication POLITICO also pointed out the strikingly low turnout at Thursday's vote. Together with the 18 who abstained, only 553 out of 719 MEPs took part in the vote – also a sign of dissatisfaction with the Commission and its performance, POLITICO said.

Just a few minutes later, the next vote on another matter was attended by MEPs.

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