France’s European commissioner Thierry Breton has resigned and withdrawn his candidacy for a future European Commission after accusing president Ursula von der Leyen of offering Paris a more powerful job in exchange for providing a replacement. The move, just before von der Leyen was to announce her new slate of commissioners, has further complicated the formation of her team, with Breton criticizing her governance and management style. Breton’s resignation comes amidst a larger push for gender balance in the commission, with several countries changing their initial candidates in response to von der Leyen’s pressure for more female nominees.
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