Thierry Breton has resigned as European Commissioner, dealing a new blow to Ursula von der Leyen's efforts to build her next team.
ADVERTISEMENTThierry Breton, the powerful European Commissioner in charge of the internal market, abruptly resigned on Monday, claiming that Ursula von der Leyen had pressured France, his home country, to submit another candidate to replace him "for personal reasons."
Breton announced the move in a scathing letter published on social platform X, saying this alleged lobbying had taken place just "a few days ago," while the Commission president was putting the finishing touches to her new executive.
The Frenchman was expected to receive an important portfolio in the upcoming Commission, having been rumoured for an executive vice presidency. But in his letter, he claims Paris was promised an even loftier position in exchange for ditching 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," Breton wrote.
"You will now be proposed a different candidate."
Breton said it was an "honour" to have worked the past five years as a Commissioner for the internal market "above national and party interests."
"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."
In a follow-up, tongue-in-cheek message, he shared an empty frame with the caption: "Breaking news: My official portrait for the next European Commission term."
The European Commission refused to comment on the explosive claims made in the letter, including the accusation of "questionable governance". A spokesperson neither confirmed nor denied that von der Leyen had recently reached out to Paris to push for a new nominee, arguing her interactions with EU leaders were based on "trust and confidentiality" and will continue being so until the end of the process.
"The president takes note and accepts Thierry Breton's resignation and thanks him for his work," the spokesperson said on Monday afternoon, without clarifying whether Breton had personally notified von der Leyen before sharing the letter online.
It was not immediately clear who would take over Breton's portfolio in the interim.
Von der Leyen's College announcement delay
Breton's shock exit deals a new blow to von der Leyen's ongoing efforts to build her new College of Commissioners, a delicate undertaking that requires balancing considerations on gender, geography and party politics.
The presentation of her new team has already been delayed due to a political fight in Slovenia, where the conservative opposition has contested the appointment of Marta Kos as the country's Commissioner-designate.
The Slovenian government put Kos forward after Tomaž Vesel withdrew from the race, reportedly as a result of von der Leyen's behind-the-scenes pressure to have more women in her next executive.
"Twenty-four hours in politics are a long time," the Commission spokesperson said when asked if the president still planned to present her team on Tuesday, as announced.
ADVERTISEMENTStill, the magnitude of Breton's departure cannot be understated: the Frenchman had acquired a strong profile in Brussels after playing a key role in the bloc's production of COVID-19 vaccines, the industrial ramp-up to provide Ukraine with more military support and, most notably, the regulatory push to rein in the excesses of Big Tech and AI.
But he had also become a divisive character in the city. His letter to Elon Musk in August ahead of the billionaire's interview with Donald Trump was decried as an assault against freedom of expression and a blatant case of power overreach.
In March, he publicly criticised the centre-right European People's Party (EPP) for failing to provide von der Leyen with a full-house endorsement. 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.
ADVERTISEMENTBreton's resignation forced French President Emmanuel Macron to pick a new nominee: Stéphane Séjourné, his foreign affairs minister. As a former liberal MEP, Séjourné has extensive experience in EU policy-making but lacks the high profile of Breton.
Asked why von der Leyen had not asked l'Élysée to put forward a woman instead and bring her closer to her desired gender-balanced College, the spokesperson said the nominations were the "prerogative" of member states.
This article has been updated with more information about Breton's departure.