French European commissioner Thierry Breton announced he was standing down from his role effective immediately Monday, publicly accusing European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen of having tried to block him from being reappointed. Breton, one of the most influential figures in Brussels, has taken a strong line against some of the world's largest tech titans, including publicly tussling with Elon Musk over content moderation on social media. President Emmanuel Macron swiftly tapped Stéphane Séjourné, his outgoing foreign minister and a close ally, to succeed Breton as Paris's representative at the EU.
France's powerful European commissioner Thierry Breton on Monday announced he was quitting his role with immediate effect, claiming European Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen had sought at the last minute to bar him from her incoming team.
