EU Commissioner Thierry Breton Takes Center Stage in Criticism of Appointment Amid Growing Intensity of Election Campaign

European Commissioner Thierry Breton has led a rebellion against von der Leyen following the appointment of a German party ally to a senior business role. The dissent was instigated by Breton and three other commissioners as the European election campaign grows more intense. As a liberal ally of French President Emmanuel Macron, Breton has openly criticized von der Leyen, a German conservative, in recent weeks.

MEP Markus Pieper resigned from his role as SME envoy just hours before he was set to begin. Despite having signed the contract, Pieper had a change of heart due to pushback from both the Commission and the European Parliament. During the selection process, two other female candidates received higher scores on tests for the position. The appointment was criticized by EU lawmakers and commissioners for crossing party lines.

In an interview with Handelsblatt, Pieper spoke out against Breton and accused him of questioning the selection process out of political motives. He emphasized that he had successfully completed a rigorous selection process and that Breton’s actions were disrespectful. However, Pieper’s resignation is seen as a victory for those who opposed the appointment of someone from another political party to such a key role within the Commission.