Breton steps down as France’s EU commissioner, drops explosive resignation letter criticising von der Leyen

Brussels: An influential French member of the European Union’s powerful executive branch resigned on Monday, calling into question the leadership of European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen just as she tries to assemble a new team for the next five years. French President Emmanuel Macron has proposed Stephane Sejourne, the country’s outgoing foreign minister and a close political ally of the president, to replace Thierry Breton as its EU commissioner, Macron’s office said on Monday.