Page 6 - aruba-today-20240917

A6 WORLD NEWS
Tuesday 17 sepTember 2024
A French member of the European Commission resigns and

criticizes President von der Leyen

By LORNE COOK Europe’s defense indus-
Associated Press try to make more weap-
BRUSSELS (AP) — An influen- ons and ammunition for
tial French member of the Ukraine.
European Union’s powerful With an eye to keeping a
executive branch resigned gender balance within the
on Monday, criticizing the commission for her second
leadership of European term at the helm, von der
Commission President Ur- Leyen had asked each
sula von der Leyen just as member country to supply
she tries to assemble a new the name of a male and
team for the next five years. female candidate for poli-
Thierry Breton, a French cy commissioner. Most only
business executive and proposed one candidate,
commissioner for the EU’s often a man.
vast internal market who Von der Leyen, a former
recently clashed with tech German defense minister,
billionaire Elon Musk, sug- has been pressing smaller
gested that von der Leyen countries to change their
had gone behind his back minds. In recent weeks, a
to get another French offi- man who was the preferred
cial named in his place to candidate of the govern-
the next commission. ment in Slovenia withdrew
In a post on X that con- and a woman was pro-
tained his resignation let- posed in his place.
ter to the EU’s top official, European Commissioner for Internal Market Thierry Breton speaks with the media as he arrives But France is no small EU
Breton said that von der for a meeting of EU foreign and defense ministers at the European Council building in Brussels, on country. It ranks, along with
Leyen’s move was “further Nov. 14, 2023. Germany, at the top of
testimony to questionable Associated Press the bloc’s political heavy-
governance I have to con- a range of portfolios similar uled to start work on Nov. 1, ment on his very public weights.
clude that I can no longer to those of government but speculation is rife that it criticism of the president’s Von der Leyen decides
exercise my duties in the ministers, including agricul- might not get down to busi- leadership. which country gets which
College.” ture, economic, competi- ness before January. Within hours, President Em- portfolio, and some of
The commission proposes tion, security and migration European Commission manuel Macron nominat- them, like those involving
legislation for the EU’s 27 policy. spokeswoman Arianna Po- ed France’s foreign minis- trade or finance or EU en-
member countries and Breton’s surprise resignation desta said that von der Ley- ter, Stéphane Séjourné, in largement, are coveted
ensures that the rules gov- came just 24 hours before en had accepted Breton’s Breton’s place. The com- by certain countries. Plum
erning the world’s biggest von der Leyen was due to resignation and thanked mission couldn’t say who jobs like the post of vice
trading bloc are respect- announce her new team to him for his work during her might take over Breton’s president the commission
ed. It’s made up of a Col- the European Parliament. first term. responsibilities, which have has seven of these are also
lege of Commissioners with The commission was sched- Podesta declined to com- included efforts to expand much sought after.q

Morocco stops migration attempt into Spanish enclave of Ceuta

RABAT, Morocco (AP) — Spain’s North African en- Some attempted to breach copters. from Fnideq and beyond
Moroccan security forces clave of Ceuta following a a border fence that has Moroccan authorities also were Moroccans of all
stopped groups of people call on social networks for long been a flashpoint for arrested 60 people sus- ages, including minors, said
who sought to force their a mass migration attempt, sporadic migration ten- pected of inciting a mass Achraf Mimoun, a Moroc-
way across the border into authorities said. sions, but none success- migration attempt on so- can human rights activist.
fully made it into Spain, cial networks, Moroccan The groups also included
the Spanish Interior Ministry intelligence agency DGSN migrants from sub-Saharan
said Monday. It said Span- said in a Facebook post. Africa, Algeria and other
ish and Moroccan security On Monday, scores of se- places, who have lived in
efforts over recent days “al- curity personnel were de- the region, waiting for the
lowed the situation to be ployed to the area. Groups opportunity to cross into Eu-
brought under control.” of people, who had heed- rope, Mimoun said.
Online messages in recent ed the calls on social me- “This is not the first anony-
days had called for people dia to breach the border mous invitation promoted
to head for Ceuta on Sun- fence and reach Spain, on social media networking
day to cross the border into dispersed. Still, some at- sites,” Mimoun said. Such
Europe. tempted to cross but were campaigns were dissemi-
Videos posted by local net- thwarted by security forces nated before, and there
works showed groups of that maintained a strong are “social and econom-
people in the hills around presence on land and sea ic reasons” behind large
the Moroccan border town along the border at Ceuta, groups of people attempt-
People thought to be migrants stand on top of hill at the Tarajal of Fnideq, and a height- activists said. ing to breach the border
border in the Spanish enclave of Ceuta, Sunday, Sept. 15, 2024. ened Moroccan security Many of those who head- fence at any cost, Mimoun
Associated Press
presence, including heli- ed to the border on Sunday said.q