With Phil Hogan's departure, Ursula von der Leyen bets on ethics - Politico.eu

The political backlash following the so-called golfgate scandal in Ireland that eventually ended Hogan's career had earlier led to the resignations of the agriculture minister and the deputy leader of Fianna Fáil. Six senators who attended the dinner also lost the party whip.

"If Irish politicians have had to step down ... while an EU politician did not need to, that would have harmed the image of the EU," said German Green MEP Daniel Freund.

"At some point it becomes a political liability if she protected him," he said. "Under [former Commission President Jean-Claude] Juncker, Hogan would have been `our man for the agreement with U.K., we need him, if he goes I go'... now, there's a political price to pay," Freund said.

There is also a sense in the Berlaymont that in order to be taken seriously internationally, commissioners need to espouse the values they promote.

"Irrelevant of one's view about Hogan's overall performance, giving out this signal is crucial in such an event, especially due to the fact that we are dangerously sliding away from a rules-based world order, also or even mostly so in terms of international trade," said a second Commission official.