Tensions rose on Monday as Breton publicly resigned from his role as Commissioner complicating her efforts to present a new College of 26 for the new term.
Tensions remain high in efforts to appoint the new European Commission.
France’s Thierry Breton slammed the door on a second term as Commissioner, resigning on Monday with choice words for Commission President Ursula von der Leyen.
In a post on X, Breton accused her of “questionable governance” and lobbying for a different candidate from Paris, followed by an empty frame meant to represent his “official portrait” for the upcoming term.
“The president takes note and accepts Thierry Breton’s resignation and thanks him for his work as Commissioner throughout the mandate,” European Commission spokesperson Arianna Podesta said in response, declining to comment on the allegations.
The new name given by the French government is Stéphane Séjourné, current minister of foreign affairs and former MEP.
With another man on her roster, Ursula von der Leyen continued to struggle to achieve gender parity among the 26 candidates named by the member states.
Controversial names mar handing out of portfolios
The Slovenian government accepted her request to change the initial male candidate to diplomat Marta Kos, but the parliament in Ljubljana has slowed down the process of giving her the domestic green light.
The case led to a week’s delay in presenting the list to the European Parliament, which will be carrying out interviews with all candidates before voting on them.
“We are preparing ourselves, and we are coordinating regarding questions,” MEP Alex Agius Saliba, vice-president of the centre-left S&D group, told Euronews.
“But, ultimately, until we get a clearer picture with regards to how portfolios will be distributed and how portfolios will be taking shape, it will be more difficult for us to conclude our work,” he said.
The president of the European Commission will also face pressure regarding two nominees from the far right.
Hungary kept the current commissioner, Olivér Várhelyi, who was the protagonist of several scandals in his previous mandate. Also controversial is the former MEP and current EU affairs minister of Italy, Raffaele Fitto.
Talking to Euronews, MEP Daniel Freund from the Greens group said Fitto is not the right fit for the post.
“I think someone that has so consistently voted against the rule of law, against democracy, against the fundamental values of the European Union whenever we have voted on this here in the European Parliament over the last five years, is not exactly putting a strong candidature, particularly for a vice president of the commission,” Freund said.
The European Commission’s spokesperson insisted that von der Leyen still intends to present the list of Commissioners and their portfolios to the European Parliament on Tuesday as scheduled.
