Tue Sep 17 05:46:49 UTC 2024: ## EU Commission President Faces Fresh Headache as French Commissioner Resigns in Protest

**Brussels, Belgium -** The European Commission is facing a new crisis just days before President Ursula von der Leyen is set to unveil her new leadership team. French Commissioner Thierry Breton abruptly resigned, accusing von der Leyen of demanding a political trade-off that involved replacing him with another candidate in exchange for a more influential portfolio for France.

Breton, who previously criticized von der Leyen’s leadership, called the situation a “questionable governance” within the commission. He claimed the deal was made for “personal reasons” without any direct discussion with him.

Von der Leyen’s office declined to comment on Breton’s allegations. However, the resignation has sparked further speculation about the challenges she faces in forming her new team, particularly concerning balancing geographic and political interests.

The process has already been delayed by a domestic political row in Slovenia over its nomination for the commission. The commission president is also navigating the delicate situation of appointing Italian candidate Raffaele Fitto from Giorgia Meloni’s far-right Brothers of Italy party.

Further complicating matters, von der Leyen has requested EU member states nominate one male and one female candidate for the commission, aiming for gender parity. While she made exceptions for incumbent commissioners, most countries, including France, nominated only one candidate, primarily men. This decision adds to the existing challenges of forming a balanced and representative team.

The Élysée Palace has nominated Stéphane Séjourné, the outgoing French foreign minister, to replace Breton. However, this nomination further reinforces the lack of gender parity among the proposed commissioners.

Von der Leyen’s announcement of the new leadership team is scheduled for Tuesday, and this unexpected resignation has introduced a new layer of complexity to the already difficult process of forming a balanced and representative team for the European Commission.

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