The European Commissioner for the Internal Market, Thierry Breton, announced on Monday that he was resigning from the European Commission with immediate effect. He claims that President Ursula von der Leyen, with whom he had strained relations, had requested his withdrawal from Emmanuel Macron.
Officially a candidate of the French president, he explained that the head of the European executive, who is forming her team for a new five-year mandate, had “asked France to withdraw (his) name.”
“A few days ago, in the very last stretch of negotiations on the composition of the future College, you asked France to withdraw my name – for personal reasons that you have in no way discussed directly with me – and suggested, as a political compromise, a supposedly more influential portfolio for France within the future College” of commissioners, wrote Thierry Breton.
“Another candidate will be proposed to you” by France, he added in a letter to Ms. von der Leyen published on the social media platform X.
Questionable Governance
“Over the past five years, I have worked tirelessly to defend and promote the European common good, beyond national and partisan interests. It has been an honor,” emphasizes the former French minister.
“However, in light of recent developments – which once again reflect questionable governance – I must conclude that I can no longer carry out my duties within the College,” he concluded.
Relations between the German leader and Mr. Breton had been notoriously tense since the latter took the lead in the spring of a revolt within the Brussels executive to challenge the president’s leadership style, deemed not very collective.
Ethics Called Into Question
The French commissioner had publicly questioned Ms. von der Leyen’s ethics following the late January appointment of an envoy for small and medium-sized enterprises, a highly paid position within the Commission.
The position had been awarded to German MEP from the European People’s Party (right) Markus Pieper, a few weeks before a congress in Bucharest in early March during which the EPP had expressed its support for a second mandate for Ms. von der Leyen.
The controversy had led to a no-confidence vote by the European Parliament against Ms. von der Leyen, during the European election campaign in June, and ultimately to Mr. Pieper’s withdrawal.