3 days Ago
Thierry Breton of France stepped down as a member of the European Commission on Monday and will no longer be his country's candidate for the next EU executive body, an unexpected twist in the highly political EU power transition. Breton announced his resignation on X as Commission President Ursula von der Leyen — whom he accused of "questionable governance" — prepares to announce this week who will be part of her new five-year team. Hours after Breton's resignation, France named Foreign Minister Stephane Sejourne as its new candidate for the EU executive body, with President Emmanuel Macron's office making clear he was vying for France to obtain a key portfolio centred on industrial sovereignty and European competitiveness.
Breton, one of the highest-profile members of the European Commission for the past five years, is best known for sparring publicly with tech billionaire Elon Musk and playing a key role in shaping the 27-nation EU's Big Tech regulation, its Covid-vaccine response and efforts to boost defence industries. In his resignation letter, Breton alleged that Von der Leyen "a few days ago" had asked France to withdraw his name as its pick for the Commission "for personal reasons" in return for an "allegedly more influential portfolio". "In light of these latest developments — further testimony to questionable governance — I have to conclude that I can no longer exercise my duties in the College," Breton said in the letter.
Breton, a former French minister and business executive, was the EU's industry and internal market commissioner during her first term. He had backed the telecoms sector' push to get Big Tech to help fund the rollout of 5G and fast-speed broadband across Europe. His and Von der Leyen's relationship had taken a turn for the worse over recent months.
The French commissioner, a liberal, had angered Von der Leyen by publicly criticising her nomination as the European conservative EPP's party candidate to head the commission for a second term, EU officials have said. Breton's public feuds with Musk had also been met with dismay among other Commission colleagues, officials added. Having to replace Breton is likely to add to Macron's woes at a time when he is still trying to pull together a government at home with new Prime Minister Michel Barnier, after having lost EU and French parliamentary elections.
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