Thierry Breton steps down - EC commissioner overseeing big tech regulation quits

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Breton accused European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen of undermining him

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Thierry Breton, the French European Commissioner for Internal Market and Services, has resigned from his post, pointing the finger at European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen in what could be a major blow for tech governance across the continent.

Breton, who had been nominated by Macron for a second term, used his resignation to accuse von der Leyen of privately trying to convince Macron to drop him.

“A few days ago, in the very final stretch of negotiations on the composition of the future College, you asked France to withdraw my name — for personal reasons that in no instance you have discussed directly with me,” Breton’s resignation states.

‘Questionable Governance’

The news comes amid tensions in the Commission as von der Leyen has pushed to form a College of Commissioners with a stricter gender-balance. Both Romania and Slovenia have withdrawn male candidates and replaced them with women, reportedly due to pressure from the EU President.

Breton’s resignation also suggested von der Leyen offered a "political trade-off" for a more influential portfolio for France if Macron withdrew his name, a further testament to "questionable governance", he affirmed.

CEO of X Corporation Linda Yaccarino hailed the resignation as a "good day for free speech". The platform leader clashed with the EU Commissioner as Breton oversaw regulation of tech companies in the form of the Digital Services Act. The Commissioner was vocal about urging X (formerly Twitter) owner Elon Musk to comply with EU law regarding content moderation.

The French President has since nominated close ally Stéphane Séjourné as a replacement for Thierry Breton, who has the blessing of French PM Michel Barnier. The nominations for the College of Commissioners is not yet a complete picture, with the loss of big names like Breton and Vestager leaving big shoes to fill.

Via Financial Times

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Ellen Jennings-Trace
Ellen Jennings-Trace
Staff Writer

Ellen has been writing for almost four years, with a focus on post-COVID policy whilst studying for BA Politics and International Relations at the University of Cardiff, followed by an MA in Political Communication. Before joining TechRadar Pro as a Junior Writer, she worked for Future Publishing’s MVC content team, working with merchants and retailers to upload content.