French Commissioner quits, accuses von der Leyen of sabotage
2 Min Read
In a scathing letter, Thierry Breton, France’s European Commissioner for the Internal Market accuses Ursula von der Leyen of attempting to persuade Emmanuel Macron to withdraw his support for him.
-
Thierry Breton, France’s European Commissioner for the Internal Market, during a speech at the European Commission (EC - Audiovisual Service)
Thierry Breton, France’s European Commissioner for the Internal Market, resigned on Monday and accused European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen of undermining him.
In an open letter to von der Leyen, Breton explained that on July 24, she had requested member states to nominate candidates for the 2024-2029 term, and French President Emmanuel Macron had nominated him as “France’s official candidate for a second mandate.”
However, Breton stated that “a few days ago,” von der Leyen asked France to withdraw his candidacy for “personal reasons” she had not discussed with him directly.
He added that von der Leyen had offered “an allegedly more influential portfolio for France in the future College” as a political trade-off.
Breton announced his resignation “in light of these latest developments,” leaving France to put forward a new candidate.
I would like to express my deepest gratitude to my colleagues in the College, Commission services, MEPs, Member States, and my team.
— Thierry Breton (@ThierryBreton) September 16, 2024
Together, we have worked tirelessly to advance an ambitious EU agenda.
It has been an honour & privilege to serve the common European interest🇪🇺 pic.twitter.com/wQ4eeHUnYu
France nominates Foreign Minister Sejourne
France will instead put forward the name of Foreign Minister Stephane Sejourne to serve on the European Commission after Breton's resignation, President Emmanuel Macron's office said on Monday.
Sejourne "meets all the necessary criteria", the Elysee Palace said, adding that Sejourne should run a portfolio similar to Breton's, focused on "industrial and technological sovereignty and European competitiveness."
Macron also thanked Breton, saying he had "strongly contributed to moving forward a policy of European sovereignty in digital fields."
Read next: Von der Leyen-backed EU group plans migration reforms à la Rwanda
