Breton resigns: Paris proposes Foreign Minister Séjourné for EU Commission

Resignation of Breton
Paris proposes Foreign Minister Séjourné for EU Commission

France proposes Foreign Minister Stephane Sejourne for the EU Commission. Photo: Soeren Stache/dpa

France proposes Foreign Minister Stephane Sejourne for the EU Commission. Photo

© Soeren Stache/dpa

The Frenchman Breton was considered a sure bet for an important post in the EU Commission, but has now thrown in the towel. He is accusing Ursula von der Leyen. A new proposal is coming from France.

Following the surprise resignation of the French EU Commissioner Thierry Breton has proposed acting Foreign Minister Stéphane Séjourné to President Emmanuel Macron for the post. Séjourné was chairman of the liberal Renew group in the European Parliament during the last legislative period before moving to Paris as Foreign Minister at the beginning of the year.

A statement from the Élysée Palace said that Séjourné met all the necessary criteria. Macron expressed his thanks to Breton and described him as a “remarkable EU Commissioner”. He had made a major contribution to promoting a European sovereignty policy in digital policy and making the EU internal market more resilient during the Corona crisis. He did not comment on a possible conflict with EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen.

Breton announced his resignation this morning. In a letter published on Platform X, he cited differences with EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen as the reason. Breton was previously Commissioner for the Internal Market and Services. Von der Leyen’s new Commission was actually supposed to be presented this week in the EU Parliament in Strasbourg. Breton was considered a given – and it was expected that he would be given an important portfolio again.

The EU Commission is headed by around 32,000 employees who, among other things, make proposals for new EU laws and monitor compliance with the European treaties.

dpa

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