EU Commission: Ursula von der Leyen's second time period begins chaotically | EUROtoday

Ursula von der Leyen is presently placing collectively the staff for her second time period as President of the EU Commission. Thierry Breton has to date been answerable for business, the inner market and digital points. He was one of the highly effective males within the Berlaymont constructing in Brussels. And he was additionally thought-about a given for the following 5 years and was purported to tackle an necessary portfolio once more. Now every little thing is totally different.

Von der Leyen, Breton writes in his letter of resignation, requested the French authorities a couple of days in the past to not nominate him as commissioner once more for “personal reasons” that they by no means mentioned with him personally. This is additional proof of von der Leyen's questionable management type.

Harsh phrases within the Brussels bubble, the place politicians and officers normally disguise nearly every little thing behind diplomatic phrases. Not so for Breton, former head of France Télécom and the IT service supplier Atos, a person who appears to like going it alone – and a bit of drama.

What might the “personal reasons” have been? Breton, it’s mentioned in EU circles, has repeatedly irritated von der Leyen. For instance, when he revealed particulars of a confidential dialog with Donald Trump firstly of the 12 months – the US President, based on Breton on the time, had mentioned that he wouldn’t assist Europe within the occasion of struggle. Or when Breton made enjoyable of von der Leyen's allegedly weak assist in her personal social gathering, the EPP, in March, shortly earlier than the European elections.

And but Breton's resignation is a stunning and dramatic flip of occasions. French President Emmanuel Macron reacted instantly and despatched his outgoing Foreign Minister Stéphane Séjourné into the race for a publish within the new Commission.

Macron in all probability had this plan in thoughts even earlier than Breton's resignation. This is the second time that the Frenchman has carried out the Germans an enormous favor. In 2019, he prevented Manfred Weber from turning into head of the Commission and thus helped von der Leyen into workplace. Now he’s eliminating one in every of her sharpest inside critics.

Von der Leyen's second time period in workplace is starting chaotically. And Breton isn’t the one purpose for this. The Commission President needs to fill her new staff with as many ladies as males – which can be inflicting unrest. Gender, von der Leyen repeatedly stresses, is a very powerful criterion for a job alongside competence. She due to this fact requested the EU states to appoint one man and one girl every. Most refused.

Von der Leyen, we hear in Brussels, exerted loads of stress behind the scenes to alter this. Often on smaller and supposedly weaker EU states. Her provide was mentioned to have been: whoever sends a lady to Brussels will get a extra necessary portfolio. So far, Slovenia and Romania have withdrawn their male candidates.

All of that is coated by European regulation. The states suggest candidates for the Commission. Von der Leyen distributes the positions. And the phone calls and correspondence are confidential. But as soon as once more the picture emerges of an EU that makes necessary choices in secret.

They deal and collude. Von der Leyen, it’s mentioned, wrote letters to a number of heads of presidency with a view to affect their personnel proposals – letters that her company retains secret. “We have decided not to publish the communication,” says a spokeswoman.

Sometimes von der Leyen needs to forestall candidates due to their gender, typically – as is presumably the case with Breton – out of dislike. What system is behind this? Why is she pushing some governments to switch their candidates and never others? The Commission says: no remark.

The EU might stay at a standstill for some time

And what actually tipped the scales in Breton's favour? No remark. What does von der Leyen say in regards to the Frenchman's criticism of her management type? No remark. The EU Commission is a very powerful authority in Brussels, it proposes new legal guidelines and negotiates worldwide treaties. But the way in which it’s staffed isn’t clear.

Another instance is Slovenia. The nation had proposed a candidate for the Commission, Tomaz Vesel, former head of the Court of Auditors. But von der Leyen is claimed to have rejected Vesel – by letter – and demanded a lady. The opposition in Slovenia is now holding up the nomination course of and demanding to see the alleged letter. Does it exist? No remark, says the Commission.

According to von der Leyen's needs, the brand new Commission ought to begin on November 1st. But that appears unlikely given all of the drama. The EU might due to this fact stand nonetheless for some time, despite the fact that it urgently must act. The struggle in Ukraine continues. The continent's competitiveness is declining. And the Americans will elect a brand new president on November fifth. But Brussels is circling round itself.