Thierry Breton, the French representative on the European Union Commission, abruptly stepped down from his role on Monday. He announced his resignation on online platform X by sharing an image of his resignation letter addressed to the Commission’s President, Ursula von der Leyen.
In the letter, Breton conveyed that von der Leyen requested that his nomination, on behalf of France, be withdrawn quite recently due to personal matters. In exchange, she offered a supposedly superior position. Reflecting on these developments, deemed questionable, Breton stated that it left him no choice but to resign, believing he couldn’t effectively fulfil his duties anymore.
This surprising announcement arrives at a crucial time when von der Leyen is finalising her team of commissioners, following the EU elections held earlier this year. While all EU member states have representation within the Commission, the political influence and relevance of these roles can significantly vary based on the assigned portfolio.
Before his resignation, Breton served as the Commissioner for the European Union’s Internal Market. Attempts to glean comments from the French presidency and Ursula von der Leyen’s office were unsuccessful at the time.
This news was reported by Reuters. Copyright is reserved to Thomson Reuters 2024.