The surprise departure of Thierry Breton deals another blow to Von der Leyen's efforts to assemble the new board.
Thierry Breton, the French Commissioner of the European Commission, has resigned from his post, Euronews reports. The move of the French politician surprised everyone, because he was also assigned an important role in the next board.
The commissioner responsible for the internal market of the union justified his resignation by saying that
Ursula von der Leyen, the chair of the soon-to-be-departed committee and the expected chair of the next committee, encouraged France to nominate someone else to the board.
Breton announced the decision in an open letter on his X page, in which he wrote that he became aware of this alleged lobbying a few days ago, while the President of the Commission was putting the final touches on the new executive board.
The French expected Breton to receive an important portfolio in the next Commission, and even the position of vice-president was even discussed, according to rumours. But Breton claims in his letter that Paris was promised an even higher position in exchange for renouncing his nomination.
"A few days ago, at the very end of the negotiations on the composition of the future body, France was asked by Ursula von der Leyen to withdraw my name - citing personal reasons that she never discussed with me directly - and in return, as part of a political bargain, she allegedly offered France a more influential portfolio in the in a future body," writes Breton.
Breton's surprise departure deals another blow to Von der Leyen's efforts to assemble the new board,
which is a delicate process, as not only gender, but also geographical and political balance must be taken into account.
Breton's resignation will force France to nominate a new politician as European Commissioner and deprive the liberal Renew Europe family of one of its most influential representatives. This further complicates Ursula von der Leyen's aim to start her second term on November 1, before the US presidential elections.
In his letter, Breton also wrote that it was an honor to work in the committee, which he did above national and party interests, but due to the questionable leadership of the board, he concluded that he could no longer perform his duties.
The resignation of the French Commissioner is effective immediately.
Cover photo: Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission
MTI/Tamás Purger
