Outgoing French Foreign Minister Stéphane Séjourné has been nominated as France's candidate for European Union (EU) Commissioner, replacing Thierry Breton, the Élysée Palace said in a statement on September 16.
Mr Séjourné, who was appointed French foreign minister in January, is a close ally of French President Emmanuel Macron and a longtime member of the president's Renaissance Party.
Mr. Séjourné, 39 years old, was the head of the Renew Europe group in the European Parliament (EP) before being appointed as France's top diplomat.
In a statement, the French President's Office said that Mr. Séjourné meets "all the required criteria" for the job.
Earlier, on September 16, Mr. Breton shocked both Brussels and Paris with his resignation announcement effective immediately, in which he accused European Commission (EC) President Ursula von der Leyen of trying at the last minute to remove him from her team for the new term.
French President Emmanuel Macron (left) and Mr. Stéphane Séjourné, in 2022. Photo: Le Journal du Dimanche
Mr Breton's shock resignation as the bloc's internal market commissioner comes a day before Ms von der Leyen is due to announce the composition of the new EC, following June's EU elections.
President Macron has put Mr Breton on his shortlist for France's commissioner on the EU's executive team, and the 69-year-old's appointment to a key role – reflecting the country's weight in the 27-nation bloc – has been taken for granted.
As a result, France – a founding member of the EU and the bloc’s second-largest economy – is reportedly unhappy with the job being handed to Mr Breton this time, French officials told Politico. According to a source familiar with the matter, phone calls between Mr Macron and Ms von der Leyen increased last week.
"The President wants France to secure an important EU Commissioner position for his candidate. This is the meaning of the contacts with the President of the European Commission since her re-election," the Élysée Palace said in a statement.
Mr. Stéphane Séjourné (left) and Mr. Thierry Breton. Le Monde before the national memorial service for the late French Minister and President of the European Union Commission Jacques Delors at the Hotel des Invalides in Paris, on January 5, 2024. Photo: Le Monde
Mr Macron has his eyes on a larger Commission and the post of EU executive vice-president for Mr Breton. The French president also wants Mr Breton in a position that would help promote Europe’s strategic autonomy – including on industrial and defence policy, according to French officials.
But the long-standing tensions between Breton and von der Leyen are likely to have played a role in the French politician’s decision to step down. Breton’s sudden resignation could further delay the post-election transition of power in the EU, which is already being hampered by national politics and von der Leyen’s efforts to create a gender-balanced Council of Commissioners.
Under pressure from Ms von der Leyen, countries including Slovenia and Romania have so far withdrawn their male candidates and replaced them with female candidates, Politico reported.
Regarding Mr. Séjourné – France's new candidate for the position of EU Commissioner, with Mr. Séjourné once again coming to work in Brussels, the new French Prime Minister Michel Barnier must now find another candidate to fill this void in his next government.
It has been reported that Mr Séjourné is among the outgoing ministers who could retain their posts under Mr Barnier, but a number of right-wing politicians – including outgoing French Interior Minister Gérald Darmanin – are said to be looking to take over the French foreign ministry.
Minh Duc (According to Politico EU, France24)
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