Historically, the European Union is run through a two-tier approach, in which the European Commission president and his/her team give impetus for policy decision making (be it trade policy, foreign policy, European integration, and a host of other aspects). In addition, as the leading and initial founders of the European setup, France and Germany’s leadership, sometimes augmented by other countries on specific issues, reinforces EU’s position ; as it has always been said, if France and Germany can agree on something, then the whole Europe can. Meanwhile, the European Parliament passes laws and has certain jurisdictions, but its powers do not yet match what national parliaments and Senates have. On a side note, UK was part of the EU for over 40 years, but they usually did whatever they wanted to do, especially in foreign policy and military adventures.
The other day, as I was reading an article about how Europe in general, and the EU in particular, has become irrelevant to geopolitical challenges, I thought about EU’s leadership in the current environment.
At the head of the European Commission, the likes of Jacques Delors and Romano Prodi of the past have been replaced by Ursula von der Layen who loves opacity and does not feel accountable to anyone. She got rid of the one commissioner (Thierry Breton) who criticized her, even though Mr. Breton was (re)nominated by France.
During her first term she had, as High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy (sort of foreign minister), Josep Borrell who seemed to be a poet talking about the European garden vs the global jungle and wondered why people listened more to Lavrov from Russia than to him. Von der Layen now has Kaja Kallas who is basically a one-trick pony focused on her mistrust (not to say hatred) of Russia to the detriment of all other complex issues. She seems to be more fit to be on the cover of Vogue and Elle magazines (the mature edition) than in diplomatic quarters.
As for French and German leaders, there we have been let down as well. In France, the likes of François Mitterand and Jacques Chirac were succeeded by ‘bling bling’ Sarkozy, who is now a convicted felon, then the ‘normal’ president Holland who covered his head with a motorcycle helmet while galavanting with his mistress, and now Emmanuel Macron the young ‘Jupiterian’ president who seems to have forgotten that kings are gone in France and no one is looking for a new one.
In Germany, after the likes of Gerhard Schröder and Angela Merkel who commanded respect, we had first Olaf Scholz who looked miserable, rigid and frozen for the four years in office, to be followed by Friedrich Merz who wants action and wants to make Germany great again, but I am not sure in what.
The bottom line is that just as the EU needed a robust leadership to navigate the already complex union in these times of trouble and chaos, it got a set of weak leaders who cannot come to grips with their shortcomings.
Paris, July 17, 2025,
Zeejay