French President Emmanuel Macron has emerged weaker on the European stage after agreeing to yield to Ursula von der Leyen and sacrifice his heavyweight EU Commission nominee, Thierry Breton, experts say. Breton abruptly quit on Monday with tough words for the EU's re-elected executive chief von der Leyen, in an unexpected twist in the highly political power transition that follows June's European elections.
Although Macron's people say he has carved a more influential role for his replacement, Stéphane Séjourné, a close Macron loyalist, it is becoming clear von der Leyen is the biggest winner of that swap, having won her fight with Macron.
Von der Leyen named a new "college" of commissioners - the team that will lead the European Union's most powerful institution for the next five years - on Tuesday. Each of the bloc's 27 member-states has one seat at the table.
"President (von der Leyen) intends to lead ... on her own," said Jean-Dominique Giuliani, President of the Robert-Schuman Foundation, a think-tank, in a note.
Analysis:
French President Emmanuel Macron's decision to yield to Ursula von der Leyen and sacrifice his heavyweight EU Commission nominee, Thierry Breton, has weakened his position on the European stage. Von der Leyen emerges as the biggest winner, consolidating her power within the EU Commission. Macron's choice of replacement, Stéphane Séjourné, has raised questions about his ability to fill Breton's shoes and maintain French influence in the EU. The dynamics within the EU Commission are shifting, with implications for European policy and decision-making.