The Global Politician: Federica Mogherini and the Transformation of International Politics

Federica Mogherini’s tenure as High Representative/Vice-President of the Commission (HRVP) between 2014 and 2019 coincided with a transitional period for international politics. Russia’s first invasion of Ukraine, the election of Donald Trump as US President and China’s growing assertiveness incrementally shifted the mode of international politics from cooperation to competition. At the same time, EU domestic politics started to heat up, due to the migration crisis and divisions over relations with Russia. This chapter finds that Mogherini mostly refrained from attempts for transformational leadership and concentrated on the roles of a “diplomat” (implementing the policy portfolios) and “broker” (engaging in the politics with member states). She approached EU foreign policy from a “global” perspective that combined the Commission instruments and resources with the debates among member states in the Council. These efforts resulted in the formulation of the EU Global Strategy and new impulses and initiatives on defence cooperation. However, towards the end of her tenure, it became increasingly more difficult to meet member state expectations. US unilateralism damaged the EU’s diplomatic achievements, such as the Iran nuclear agreement, and the member states needed to find new ways to recalibrate their foreign policy to a more geopolitical environment.