Monday, Sep 16th 2024
2PM 35* C ☀️ 5PM 34*C ☀️ 5-Day Forecast
French President Emmanuel Macron has nominated outgoing foreign minister Stéphane Séjourné to become the country's next European Commissioner, after Thierry Breton abruptly resigned from his post and withdrew his bid for a second term earlier on Monday. In a statement, the Élysée Palace said that the decision was made "in accordance" with newly-appointed Prime Minister Michel Barnier, and confirmed France was angling for a "key" portfolio related to "industrial and technological sovereignty" and "European competitiveness." It adds that Séjourné's prior experience, as chair of Macron's centrist Renew Europe group in the European Parliament and as France's Minister of Europe and foreign affairs, equips him to take the reins of such a prestigious portfolio. Earlier on Monday, Thierry Breton, Macron's man in Brussels who has served as European Commissioner for the internal market since 2019, withdrew his re-election bid after what he described as efforts by Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen to pressure France to replace him "for personal reasons."
