French Commissioner Thierry Breton resigns, casting doubts on Von der Leyen’s leadership
Thierry Breton, the Internal Market Commissioner who is also responsible for technology and defence, announced his resignation from the European Commission on Monday. In a letter, he accused Commission president Ursula von der Leyen of political manoeuvring.
Breton has served as Commissioner for the past five years under Von der Leyen’s presidency. He was renominated by French president Emmanuel Macron to serve in the next Commission but has now stepped down.
In a letter posted on X, Breton accused Von der Leyen of requesting that France withdraw his name and offering a supposedly more influential portfolio as a political trade-off.
“A few days ago, in the very final stretch of negotiations on the composition of the future 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,” he wrote.
Von der Leyen has been advocating for gender parity in the next Commission, asking member states to nominate women rather than men as their candidate for Commissioner. Slovenia and Romania have already withdrawn their male candidates and replaced them with women.
Whether Breton’s resignation is motivated by the push for gender parity or the result of divergences of opinions remains unclear. He and Von der Leyen have had a contentious relationship in recent months, with Breton publicly criticising von der Leyen’s election as the lead candidate for the European People’s Party in March and questioning her appointment of Markus Pieper as envoy for small and medium enterprises in April.
The decision to step down means France will need to nominate a new candidate. Breton might now take a role in France’s incoming government, which is expected to be announced this week.
Von der Leyen is yet to respond to the news.
European Commissioner for Internal Market Thierry Breton during a visit to the packaging line at the Pfizer production plant in Puurs, Antwerp province © BELGA PHOTO DIRK WAEM
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