EU bureaucrat Thierry Breton says he is stepping down as commissioner

Thierry Breton, the French European Commissioner, announced he would resign from the EU executive body due to a dispute with Commission President Ursula von der Leyen. He claimed she requested France withdraw his candidacy for personal reasons, offering a "more influential portfolio" in return. Breton, who oversaw critical EU policies during his first term, expressed his concerns about governance in his resignation letter. He stated, "I can no longer exercise my duties in the College." Von der Leyen is currently finalizing her list of commissioners for her second term.