- Title: "I'm clean", Macron's EU candidate says over corruption claims
- Date: 2nd October 2019
- Summary: BRUSSELS, BELGIUM (OCTOBER 2, 2019) (REUTERS) EU PARLIAMENT BUILDING EU PARLIAMENT LOGO
- Embargoed: 16th October 2019 16:23
- Keywords: France Industrial policy European Commission EU Sylvie Goulard Candidate confirmation hearings Commissioner Internal market European Parliament Brussels
- Location: BRUSSELS, BELGIUM
- City: BRUSSELS, BELGIUM
- Country: Belgium
- Topics: European Union,Government/Politics
- Reuters ID: LVA002AZEOVNR
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text:Sylvie Goulard, France's choice to be the next head of European Union industrial policy, denied on Wednesday (October 2) wrongdoing during her time as an EU lawmaker, the latest candidate to face a hostile reception in confirmation hearings for the EU executive.
Questioned about a fictional jobs scandal at the European Parliament and for taking high-paid work as an adviser for a U.S. think-tank, Goulard told the assembly she was "clean."
Goulard, who if confirmed would take office on November 1, said the funds had been repaid and that she considered the affair a "human resources" issue rather than a legal one.
Following French President Emmanuel Macron's 2017 election victory, Goulard was appointed defence minister but resigned barely a month into the job amid an investigation into the way her political party, MoDem, hired assistants in the European assembly.
Winning the confirmation of Goulard, who was proposed by Macron, is crucial for incoming European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen. Her picks for the EU executive have faced unprecedented resistance from the assembly in hearings this month.
The assembly has already rejected candidates from Hungary and Romania, citing financial irregularities, while her picks from Poland and Sweden failed to convince lawmakers on Tuesday (October 1) and may face a second round of questioning.
(Production Clement Rossignol) - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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