French EU Commissioner Thierry Breton Resigns Amid Disagreement with Von der Leyen

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Thierry Breton, France's European Commissioner, has stepped down following a disagreement with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen. Breton, who had served as the EU's internal market commissioner since 2019, announced his resignation in a letter posted on X (formerly Twitter). He cited concerns regarding governance.

Breton stated that von der Leyen had requested France to withdraw his candidacy for reappointment to the incoming European Commission. In response, French President Emmanuel Macron's office confirmed that Foreign Minister Stephane Sejourne would be proposed as the replacement candidate.

In his resignation letter, Breton expressed his dissatisfaction with how the decision was handled, noting that von der Leyen had not communicated the reasons for her request directly to him. He also mentioned an offer for a different, potentially more influential, portfolio for France in the future Commission.

During his time as commissioner, Breton was responsible for key sectors including the internal market, space, defense, and COVID-19 vaccine production. He had previously served as France's economy minister from 2005 to 2007 and held leadership positions at France Telecom and IT company Atos.