Von der Leyen’s controversial envoy pick resigns hours before first day

 

Von der Leyen’s controversial envoy pick resigns hours before first day

 

The move comes after days of a top level tussle at the Commission.

 

APRIL 15, 2024 11:35 PM CET

BY JOE STANLEY-SMITH

https://www.politico.eu/article/von-der-leyens-controversial-envoy-pick-resigns-hours-before-start-date/

 

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen’s controversial pick for a lucrative job has resigned, just hours before his first day as representative for small-and-medium sized enterprises.

 

German MEP Markus Pieper’s appointment to the role drew allegations of favoritism from Commissioners and European Parliament. Pieper, who hails from the same German political party as von der Leyen, had been due to start the role Tuesday.

 

“The President both respects and regrets Markus Pieper’s decision not to take up his post as SME Envoy on 16 April as planned,” said a statement released late on Monday night from the European Commission’s Chief Spokesperson, Eric Mamer after German paper Handelsblatt first broke the news.

 

The controversy around her envoy pick adds to a growing list of potential problems for von der Leyen as she seeks a second term as European Commission President.

 

Von der Leyen has had a series of stumbles in recent weeks ahead of the EU’s June 6-9 election and the start of her campaign: the European Public Prosecutor’s Office had opened an investigation into her use of text messages to negotiate major vaccine purchase contracts during the Covid-19 pandemic; she has faced criticism over her handling of a trip to Israel shortly after the Oct. 7 attacks; and recently, the European Parliament sued the European Commission over a decision to unfreeze billions in funds for Hungary late last year.

 

Over half of MEPs in the European Parliament voted in favor of an amendment last week telling von der Leyen to rerun the appointment process.

 

Pieper signed the contract on March 31, despite the fact that two other shortlisted candidates for the post, both women, had reportedly received higher scores on tests during the selection process.

 

European Commission Vice President Josep Borrell and Commissioners Nicolas Schmit, Paolo Gentiloni and Thierry Breton, who all work under com der Leyen, criticized Pieper’s appointment, in a sign that Commission unity is waning as the European election approaches.

 

Pieper said in a press statement, “I successfully underwent a very demanding selection procedure. But the fact that Commissioner Breton, of all people, who has been responsible for SMEs and cutting red tape up to now, is now calling the procedure into question is bad form and motivated solely by party politics.”

 

Pieper, in his statement, said he saw no way he would be able to fulfill expectations of the office after the public fallout. “Just as Breton boycotted my taking office in advance within the Commission, I currently see no possibility of fulfilling the legitimate expectations associated with the office. Things will look different after the European elections with the expected new majorities,” he said.

 

An official close to Breton rejected those allegations. “Accusations of boycotting or party politics on the part of Commissioner Breton are ludicrous,” the official said, adding the accusation smacked of “reverse engineering.”

 

The statement released late on Monday evening from the European Commission spokesperson includes what appears to be a barbed reference to the backlash.

 

“The autonomy of each EU institution in appointing its senior officials must be respected,” it read. “The President has therefore decided to suspend the reopening of the selection procedures for the position of SME Envoy until after the European elections.”

 

Resigning the post before taking it up means Pieper can remain as an MEP.

 

This article has been updated.