Macron is keen to preserve the portfolio he had negotiated with incoming European Commission President Ursula Von der Leyen and has sought assurances that the new candidate would be approved.
On Thursday, two weeks after President Emmanuel Macron’s first choice candidate to head the European Commission was rejected by EU lawmakers, he has proposed Thierry Breton, Atos technology group’s Chief Executive Officer for the position.
Breton, who was France’s finance minister under late President Jacques Chirac, has been chief executive of Atos since 2009.
“He’s man of action, who knows industrial issues inside out, and who, while knowing Brussels institutions, will not have a bureaucratic approach to European issues, which is important for the president,” said an Elysee official.
Earlier this month, European lawmaker rejected Sylvie Goulard, Macron’s first pick for European Commissioner.
The French leader, who is keen to preserve the huge portfolio he had negotiated with incoming European Commission President Ursula Von der Leyen, is looking to put behind what he called a “political crisis” and has sought assurances from her the new candidate would be approved.
“The portfolio will remain unchanged,” said the presidential aide.
The nominee of EU member states for the European Commission candidacy must pass a confirmation hearing in the European Parliament.
Despite his conservative background, Breton backed Macron during the 2017 campaign before even the first round of the presidential election.
Unlike many top French officials, he is not a graduate of the ENA finishing school of government, but holds a masters of engineering from top French school Supelec.
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