Von der Leyen’s future team and Orbán’s speech: Uncertainty reigns as MEPs sit in Strasbourg

A four-day sitting of the European Parliament kicks off on Monday, with Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán the headlining acts. 

But question marks hang over the appearance of both leaders, as von der Leyen's line-up of new Commissioners risks unravelling at the last minute, and major flooding in central Europe could dissuade the Hungarian premier from travelling to Strasbourg.

Von der Leyen has been convened to unveil her 26-strong team of nominated European Commissioners - and the policy portfolios she will ask them to steer - during a meeting with the parliament’s president and political leaders on Tuesday morning.

But on Monday, Thierry Breton - the French European Commissioner who had been nominated for another term - abruptly resigned from his post and pulled out from the race, accusing von der Leyen of personally lobbying France to withdraw his candidature.

"You asked France to withdraw my name - for personal reasons that you have in no instance discussed directly with me - and offered, as a political trade-off, an allegedly more influential portfolio for France in the future College," Breton's resignation letter, shared on X, reads.

Political infighting in Slovenia, where the opposition is blocking the legally required confirmation hearing of the government’s candidate, Marta Kos, also risks derailing the formation of von der Leyen’s next Commission and trapping the powerful executive in limbo. 

The Commission has so far insisted von der Leyen will attend the meeting, which has already been postponed once due to delays, despite the possibility she will not be able to divvy up portfolios unless Kos's candidature is signed off.

 “It’s a long time until Tuesday. They say 24