EDITORIAL
Barely appointed by the Elysée as a candidate for the position of European Commissioner, Thierry Breton took a step aside at the head of Atos, the company of the CAC 40 he runs for 10 years, giving up part of his functions. For our columnist Nicolas Beytout, this former minister will have much to do to sweep the suspicions of conflict of interest.
"Thierry Breton has stepped down from his effective leadership position to become a non-executive chairman, and to spend his time preparing for the MEPs' hearing, and he has every interest in being ready. Sylvie Goulard's failure shows that this is not a joke, and everything indicates that Thierry Breton will be shaken by MEPs who will audition him.
Of course there will be political attacks; they will come from the left which is already beating on this former minister of Jacques Chirac, support of Alain Juppé then Emmanuel Macron during the presidential 2017. Classical. But this time, the European right, which had failed Sylvie Goulard, should support the candidacy of Thierry Breton. Emmanuel Macron asked "we explain to him" the fiasco of his candidate. I am sure that the lesson has been retained, and that the ground has been better prepared, with the right for this right-wing man.
Sensitive files
But there are also many attacks on possible conflicts of interest. This is the most dangerous point. The Elysee explains that Thierry Breton has the habit and that he will be able to divest himself of the files on which he worked as an industrialist. Hopefully. Because, if we look closely at this aspect of the subject, we understand that to be perfectly safe from any suspicion of a conflict of interest, we should know nothing about the files we will be responsible for. In fact, anyone who has worked in the digital industries may, by definition, be suspected of having a conflict of interest if they have to deal with this type of issue in their political action. Same thing in defense, transport, health.
Be efficient
All these subjects who have become ultra-technical are confronted with this fundamental choice: is it better to entrust them to a pure soul who knows nothing about it and has a vaguely general look? Advantage: no conflict of interest. Or should we take the risk, by framing it of course, to entrust them to an old veteran who masters the subject and can really act?
The second option seems preferable, as well as its corollary: to organize in these posts back and forth men and women who have accumulated experience in real life, in the business, who have worked in the sectors they will have to manage. Thierry Breton, if confirmed, will have large files to process. But it will have, above all, a heavy responsibility: to show that this type of profile can do a lot to reconcile Europe with efficiency. "