BRUSSELS — Stéphane Séjourné, France’s nominee for Executive Vice-President of the European Commission, faced a grilling from MEPs during his confirmation hearing on Tuesday. Séjourné, who is set to oversee the portfolio for Prosperity and Industrial Strategy, outlined his vision for Europe’s industrial future with a significant focus on the automotive sector.

Séjourné brings a wealth of political experience to the role. A graduate of the University of Poitiers with a double master’s in law, and an ERASMUS student at the University of Granada focusing on international and EU law, Séjourné has rapidly ascended the political ranks. He served as a Member of the European Parliament from 2019 to 2024, including a tenure as President of the Renew Europe Group from 2021 to 2024. In January 2024, he was appointed Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs in the Gabriel Attal government, becoming the youngest minister to hold the post in the history of the Fifth Republic.