EU Power Struggle: Who Really Controls Foreign Policy in Brussels?

A power struggle is brewing in Brussels over the European Union's foreign policy direction, pitting Commission President Ursula von der Leyen against High Representative Kaja Kallas. The dispute, exacerbated by a reported clandestine call from Council President António Costa's chief of staff to the Kremlin, has exposed deep-seated structural issues within the EU's diplomatic apparatus.

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The Commission President Ursula von der Leyen (left) and the High Representative Kaja Kallas are the most powerful women in the EU – and repeatedly on a collision course.

Von der Leyen, who aims to lead a "geopolitical Commission," is reportedly clashing with Kallas, the EU's chief diplomat and head of the European External Action Service (EEAS). Sources suggest Kallas views von der Leyen's leadership style as authoritarian. The tension is particularly evident in how the EU responds to international crises, such as the conflict in the Middle East, where both leaders seek to assert their influence.

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The uproar around Costa points to a fundamental problem that is not new, but has gained relevance in these geopolitically turbulent times: Who actually determines the EU's foreign policy?

This internal friction is not new but has gained urgency amid geopolitical turbulence. While the EEAS is designed to be the EU's foreign policy arm, Kallas's dual role as head of the EEAS and a Commission vice-president places her under von der Leyen's authority. This has led to accusations that von der Leyen is overstepping her mandate, acting as a de facto European president. The situation prompts questions about the EU's ability to present a unified foreign policy front when its top leaders are at odds.

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Some critics accuse her of playing the role of a European president.