European Commissioner Thierry Breton Resigns, Accuses von der Leyen of Irresponsibility

On September 16, Thierry Breton, the European Union’s leading regulator for the internal market, announced his resignation. This decision came after a dispute with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen regarding his potential reappointment for a second five-year term.

In a post on X (formerly known as Twitter), Breton accused von der Leyen of undermining him by discussing his reappointment with French President Emmanuel Macron and suggesting an alternative candidate. He claimed that this maneuvering stemmed from personal reasons that were never addressed with him directly.

Breton stated, “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.”

Expressing his disappointment, Breton elaborated, “Over the past five years, I have relentlessly striven to uphold and advance the common European good, above national and party interests. However, in light of these latest developments — further testimony to questionable governance — I have to conclude that I can no longer exercise my duties in the College.”

The European Commission did not comment on the specifics of Breton’s allegations nor confirmed von der Leyen’s supposed lobbying efforts to replace him. They emphasized that “trust and confidentiality” serve as the foundation for all dealings between the Commission and EU leaders.

A Commission spokesperson acknowledged Breton’s resignation, thanking him for his service, while noting that it would take immediate effect. This unexpected departure has complicated von der Leyen’s plans to announce her new Commission, which was already delayed.

The challenge of appointing a new team of commissioners is politically sensitive. It involves balancing party politics, geographic representation, and gender equality, making it a daunting task for von der Leyen. Recently, her handling of appointments landed her in trouble over the choice of Marta Kos in Slovenia, where she allegedly pressured the government to swap its selected male candidate for Kos to achieve greater gender representation.

A spokesperson from the Commission indicated that Breton’s exit could push back the announcement of the new Commission beyond the anticipated timeline. “Twenty-four hours in politics is a long time,” the spokesperson remarked, underlining the ever-changing dynamics of political negotiations.

The European Commission consists of 27 officials from all EU member states, each responsible for enforcing EU laws across various sectors, including environment, climate, industrial policy, foreign relations, migration, and agriculture. They also act as representatives of the EU on the global stage.

Breton, noted for his outspoken stance, has been instrumental in pushing for stricter online regulations and transparency measures on tech giants, including X and Meta. In December, the Commission initiated an investigation into X, accusing the platform of lacking transparency regarding its operations and not doing enough to combat harmful content and misinformation in the EU.

This investigation coincided with the introduction of the Digital Services Act, which seeks to address the rise of online disinformation in the region, especially in light of ongoing conflicts like the Israel-Hamas war. In July, the Commission issued warnings to X, expressing concerns over its verified “blue check” accounts, which it deemed misleading as anyone could pay for verification.

Following Breton’s resignation, Macron and Prime Minister Michel Barnier proposed the outgoing French Foreign Minister Stéphane Séjourné as his replacement. The Élysée Palace stated that France intends to secure a crucial portfolio related to “industrial and technological sovereignty” and “European competitiveness.”