"We will definitely be against it," Adam Bielan, head of the Polish delegation in the European Conservatives and Reformists (ECR) group told Poland's PAP news agency on Thursday.
He argued that the group are disappointed with von der Leyen's last five years of leadership.
“We oppose the ideas of EU centralization and new treaties, as we believe this process significantly limits the sovereignty of member states”, Bielan was quoted as saying.
“We are also against the current EU migration policy, including the migration pact and the Green Deal," he added.
PAP noted that five years ago, the Polish ECR group, which comprises members of the Law and Justice (PIS), Poland's largest opposition party, did give von der Leyen a vote of confidence.
However, the alternative then was the candidacy of former left-wing EU Commissioner Frans Timmermans.
"We chose the 'lesser evil' at that time because we believed Timmermans would be even worse," Bielan argued.
It is still unclear how other national ECR delegations will vote. However, PAP cited unnamed EU sources claiming that von der Leyen is unlikely to receive significant support from this group.
With a total of 84 seats, the ECR is currently the third-largest political force in the European Parliament.
To secure the position, von der Leyen needs 361 votes in the 720-member European Parliament.
The vote could take place during the first plenary session of the new European Parliament, which begins on July 16 in Strasbourg.
(mo)
Source: PAP