THE European Commission's new president, Jean-Claude Juncker, has comfortably survived a no-confidence vote brought over news that Luxembourg had lured multinational businesses with super-low tax rates during his period as prime minister.
The censure motion in the European Parliament in Strasbourg, France, was resoundingly defeated by 461 votes to 101.
However, the vote was hardly an auspicious start for Mr Juncker, under fire in his first month in office both over his role when Luxembourg leader and over a potential conflict of interest as head of a commission examining tax avoidance.
The censure motion, brought by far-right and anti-EU parties, said Mr Juncker bore responsibility for Luxembourg's tax policies as its long-serving prime minister.
The motion said a person who had been responsible for aggressive tax avoidance policies should not head the executive EU Commission which upholds the laws of the 28-nation bloc.
The commission is now investigating several tax schemes offered by Luxembourg to global companies to see whether they broke EU laws on state aid. Ireland and the Netherlands are also under investigation.
Mr Juncker has said competition commissioner Margrethe Vestager will conduct the investigation and he will not discuss the case with her.
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