Thierry Breton, France’s representative in the EU commission who made headlines by resigning dramatically on Monday, was not expected to leave without causing a stir. Confronted by a severe political crisis domestically, French President Emmanuel Macron opted to retain Breton, even nominating him for another five-year term in Brussels during the summer.
Ursula von der Leyen, the President of the European Commission, has struggled over the last few weeks to delegate positions to her commissioners, a tricky task appointed by each EU nation, which rarely appeases everyone. Breton, who was the internal market commissioner at the time of his stepping down, was rumoured to be earmarked for a higher role related to industrial policy.
Breton purportedly revealed in a letter on social media that recent requests from von der Leyen had been made for France to replace him for personal reasons. In exchange, France would receive a more powerful role, according to his claims. Taking one final dig at the German’s questionable handling of the EU’s top executive body, Breton confirmed his exit.
The French commissioner’s replacement appears beneficial for both von der Leyen and Macron. The outgoing foreign affairs minister, Stéphane Séjourné, who is a Macron loyalist, has been named as the new commissioner. Séjourné’s nomination to replace Breton was promptly announced by the Élysée Palace.
Breton was renowned for being one of the most vocal individuals on the commission, second only to von der Leyen. It was widely acknowledged that the two often butted heads, with Breton tending to go solo and sometimes publicly criticising the commission’s chair.
Any potential resistance by von der Leyen to Breton’s second term would have been rooted in their work relationship, rather than her endeavour to attain a gender equal team of 26 commissioners.
As President of the Commission, Von der Leyen also holds the title of Germany’s commissioner, indicating that keeping France content is a significant challenge she must overcome while allotting new commissioner positions. It’s tough to conceive of a scenario in which Von der Leyen would confidently act against Breton without Macron’s approval. This unexpected turn of events gives the French President a platform for his ally, Séjourné, as the new French prime minister, Michel Barnier readies himself to constitute a cabinet.
This recent turmoil could potentially postpone the revelation of the specific roles each commissioner is to undertake, which was expected to happen on Tuesday. As per multiple sources, Ireland’s chosen candidate, the ex-finister of finance, Michael McGrath, is anticipated to assume the commissioner for justice position.
Von der Leyen would not prefer late substitutions like Breton’s to prompt a complete rearrangement. The simpler option would be to enhance the previously offered role to Paris further. However, even this might demand some adjustments elsewhere.