Markus Pieper News Today

French President Emmanuel Macron is seeking to replace European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and is currently discussing options with other EU leaders, Bloomberg reported on Wednesday, citing sources.Von der Leyen is now gearing up for elections in less than two months, seeking to secure another five-year term.

Brussels is rife with speculation on who might be chosen as the EU executive’s next chief.

Macron believes that von der Leyen has over-politicised her role and wants to see a less controversial and technocratic candidate in the EU Commissions top job.

This edition of State of the Union focusses on three issues feeding citizens' anger with the establishment in the EU and beyond: possible nepotism in the EU…

The world this week

Ms von der Leyen has been accused of political cronyism and foregoing due process in the appointment of Mr Pieper to a lucrative Commission job.

She is suspected of appointing favourites to aid her own re-election as commission chief

EU lawmakers vote against Commission president’s choice of German center-right lawmaker for SME job.

MEPs in the European Parliament have voted to rescind a top job appointment, sparking concerns over political favouritism within the European Commission.

The European Parliament called for the appointment of German EU lawmaker Markus Pieper to an EU business envoy role to be revoked amid accusations of political cronyism. The resolution was passed on Thursday by EU lawmakers from the liberal, Green and centre-left groups in the parliament with 382 EU legislators voting in favour, 144 voting against while 80 abstained. Pieper's appointment has prompted scrutiny because, among other things, in the initial phase of the application process, two ...