French EU Commissioner Thierry Brenton resigns, citing spat with von der Leyen
- In Reports
- 09:11 PM, Sep 16, 2024
- Myind Staff
The influential European Commissioner overseeing the internal market, Thierry Breton, abruptly resigned on Monday, citing pressure from Ursula von der Leyen on his home country France to submit a different candidate to succeed him "for personal reasons." In a scathing letter that was posted on social media platform X, Breton announced the move, claiming that the alleged lobbying had happened "a few days ago," while the Commission president was finalising her new executive.
The Frenchman, who had been tipped for an executive vice presidency, was expected to take on a significant portfolio in the incoming Commission. However, he asserts in his letter that Paris was promised a more prestigious role in return for dropping his bid. "A few days ago, in the very last stretch of negotiations on the composition of the future of the College, you asked France to withdraw my name – for personal reasons that in no instance you have discussed directly with me – and offered, as a political trade-off, an allegedly more influential portfolio for France in the future College," as said by Breton. He further added, "You will now be proposed a different candidate."
Expressing his gratitude to his post, Breton remarked that serving as an internal market commissioner for the previous five years, "above national and party interests," had been an "honour."
"However, in light of these developments – further testimony to questionable governance – I have concluded that I can no longer exercise my duties in the College," he adds. "I am therefore resigning from my position as European Commissioner, effective immediately." He sent a sarcastic, follow-up message that included an empty frame and the words, "Breaking news: My official portrait for the next European Commission term."
The letter contained shocking allegations, such as the charge of "questionable governance," about which the European Commission declined to comment. A representative claimed that von der Leyen's contacts with EU leaders were founded on "trust and confidentiality" and would remain so until the conclusion of the process, while neither affirming nor refuting reports that she had recently contacted Paris to request a new nominee.
The spokesperson said on Monday afternoon, "The president takes note and accepts Thierry Breton's resignation and thanks him for his work," without making it clear if Breton had spoken with von der Leyen in person before posting the letter online. In the interim, Breton's portfolio was unclear who would be in charge of it.
The sudden disappearance of Breton brings another headache to von der Leyen as she tries to cobble together her new College of Commissioners. It has not been easy, she had to balance gender, regional considerations and political affiliations. She has even had to delay the unveiling of her new team because of a political squall over how Slovenia's commissioner should be chosen in which the conservative opposition refused to go along with the nomination of Marta Kos.
Following Tomaž Vesel's withdrawal from the race, the Slovenian government nominated Kos, allegedly due to pressure from behind the scenes by von der Leyen to include more women in her next executive position. The spokesperson for the Commission responded, "Twenty-four hours in politics are a long time," when asked if the president still intended to present her team on Tuesday as previously announced.
Breton's departure is significant: he gained a strong reputation in Brussels by helping with COVID-19 vaccine production, increasing military support for Ukraine, and leading efforts to regulate Big Tech and AI. However, he also became controversial. In August, he sent a letter to Elon Musk before his interview with Donald Trump, which was criticised as an attack on free speech and an example of overstepping his authority.
He openly criticised the centre-right European People's Party (EPP) in March for not endorsing von der Leyen with a majority of the house. His rant raised ethical questions and exposed the tension between the commissioner and the president. "The real question now: 'Is it possible to (re) entrust the management of Europe to the EPP for 5 more years, or 25 years in a row?' The EPP itself does not seem to believe in its candidate," he wrote back then.
Breton's resignation has compelled France's president, Emmanuel Macron, to decide on another nominee: his foreign affairs minister, Stéphane Séjourné. A former liberal MEP, Séjourné has plenty of experience in EU policy-making, but it's not a name that carries the same level of profile as Breton's. Asked why von der Leyen hadn't asked 'Élysée to come forward with a female and get closer to her desired gender-balanced College, the spokesperson said the nominations were the "prerogative" of member states.
Image source: France 24
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