Markus Pieper was due to take up his post on Tuesday, April 16. But on Monday evening, the CDU MEP whom Ursula von der Leyen had chosen to be "EU representative for SMEs," despite the widespread criticism of her choice, eventually resigned. It was a slap in the face for the Commission president, who is campaigning to be reappointed after the European elections, scheduled for June 6-9.

On January 31, Angela Merkel's former minister, herself a CDU member, announced the appointment of Pieper, the lowest-rated of the three candidates for this newly-created post, which pays almost €20,000 a month. As a result, von der Leyen is suspected of having made a gift to the European People's Party (EPP), which brings together Europe's right-wing parties, a few weeks before it made her its candidate for president of the EU executive on March 7.

As the European election campaign gets underway, political opponents on the left, center and far right immediately seized the opportunity to attack the Commission president and the EPP, the European Parliament's main political group.

Von der Leyen's team includes four Commissioners – one liberal, France's Thierry Breton (in charge of the internal market), and three socialists, Spain's Josep Borrell (High Representative for Foreign Affairs), Luxembourg's Nicolas Schmit (Commissioner for Jobs and Social Rights) and Italy's Paolo Gentiloni (Commissioner for Economy), Luxembourg's Nicolas Schmit (Commissioner for Employment and Social Rights) and Italy's Paolo Gentiloni (Commissioner for Economic Affairs). They each wrote to von der Leyen on March 27 after Pieper's appointment, which they said "raised questions about the transparency and impartiality of the selection process."

The Commission president, known for her top-down way of governing, didn't reply to the letter. Pieper signed his contract on March 31. On April 10, at the last meeting of the College of Commissioners, von der Leyen refused to get involved in the controversy and urged her colleagues not to disorganize while a war was raging on Europe's doorstep.

At the European Parliament on April 11, MEPs overwhelmingly adopted an amendment calling for the anulment of Pieper's appointment, with 382 votes in favor, 144 against and 80 abstentions. This was despite the EPP's massive opposition in the chamber. Once again, von der Leyen refused to reconsider her choice.

Eventually, Pieper decided to step down. "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 in a statement on Monday. He added that the French Commissioner, to whom he and von der Leyen were to report as special envoy for SMEs, was "motivated solely by party politics."

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