Federica Mogherini: A Woman At The Head Of European Diplomacy

2023 Author: Amber Richards | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-05-22 00:24

On the sidelines of Brussels, they joke about Frederick that she is the only woman who has been given the right to control all male foreign ministers. Well, having headed the foreign policy of the European Union, she certainly did not stand on a par with the foreign ministers of national states, but what is obvious is that today she stands between and even a little above them, acting as a connecting link and urging all of them to the unity of foreign policy goals and objectives. On the shoulders of the 43-year-old Italian (today she is the youngest woman in the European Commission), the responsibility fell to build relations of the European Union with such giants as Russia, China, the United States, the Middle East and many others.

Today, many Internet users unkindly note that the new position allegedly disfigured a once charming woman (it is believed that due to constant stress, Federica gained weight, lost a fresh complexion and, in general, now looks much older than her years). However, Mogherini herself admits that she feels great and, despite being busy at work, manages to find time to communicate with her husband and two daughters, as well as to her hobby - traveling and reading crime novels.

"Girl" Renzi

The institution of political patronage is as old as the world, and "Thatcher's son" John Major or "Kolya's girl" Angela Merkel are far from the only ones who were able to build a dizzying political career, starting as a protege. It seems that Federica's rapid rise to the very top of European diplomacy is also the result of competently built relations with her own bosses. When Democrat Matteo Renzi became Italy's new prime minister in 2014, he promptly nominated his longtime friend for the post of foreign minister in his government. It is known that the decision of the new prime minister surprised even the country's president, but Renzi remained adamant: he saw in Federica not a lack of relevant experience, but above all, a natural talent for negotiating.

In general, he was right. For some six months Federica managed to pay visits to all "hot spots": to Ukraine, Israel, Palestine, Lebanon, Syria. Known at the time for her views for easing anti-Russian sanctions, Federica even had a personal meeting with Vladimir Putin (although according to the protocol, she should have limited herself to only meeting with Sergei Lavrov).

Federica also received the post of European Commissioner for Foreign Policy exclusively thanks to the efforts of Renzi. The fact is that in 2014 Italy became the presidency of the EU Council, and Renzi's decisions immediately noticeably added in their political weight. It was then that he began to actively promote Mogherini to the post of head of European diplomacy, despite protests from the countries of Eastern Europe and the Baltic states. Federica was blamed, first of all, for her youth and lack of experience. Later, she confessed to reporters: “I paid the price for being a woman and for being young. Put a man and a woman of the same age side by side - society will certainly consider a man older than a woman.

However, as we all know, inexperience and youth have never become decisive arguments against admitting anyone to the political Olympus. So in the case of Federica, it turned out that the Europeans were unhappy, first of all, with her pro-Russian views. It seems that for the sake of the position, Federica "aggravated" them and began to make unfriendly comments about Moscow.

Mystery woman

For many years in Italy and in the world, Federica was perceived as a dark horse. The daughter of the famous Italian director Flavio Mogherini and the young girl who dreamed of a journalist suddenly burst into politics and could no longer leave her. From a young age, she began to build a career in the Democratic Party, while working as a columnist for the famous Italian newspaper Corriere dellSera. In general, her career went up, but Federica never shone - which is why her appointment as Italian foreign minister came as a real surprise to everyone.

To the surprise of all critics, it turned out that Federica was very well versed in foreign policy: she graduated from the Faculty of Political Science and defended her diploma in political philosophy, in which she explored the factors of the political rise of Islamic countries. In the party, she also devoted a lot of time to foreign policy issues, and in 2012 even managed to accuse Matteo Renzi of ignorance of modern international relations in her microblog.

It seems that the desire to surprise others is inscribed in Mogherini's DNA. She likes to take risks in everything: she changes her hair color and hairstyle (which, from the point of view of political imagemaking, is quite bold) and also famously ─ political views (as, for example, with regard to Russian policy in Ukraine). However, many note that this model of political behavior of Federica is precisely connected with the relatively young age of the European Commissioner. She was born in the 70s, and received her education within the framework of the Erasmus project (a program that gives European students the opportunity to study in any country participating in the agreement). This, according to experts, and developed in the Italian pragmatism and the ability to adapt to any situation. So, as soon as Federica finally gets comfortable in the chair of the European Commissioner, it is possible that her rhetoric towards Russia will soften again.

Female voice in the meeting room

In the meantime, Federica is actively involved in the EU's foreign policy agenda, earning herself the fame of one of the brightest European diplomats. Experts acknowledge that Mogherini's frequent travel and business trips make the very institution of diplomacy within the EU more significant and visible. She is constantly present at the negotiations of the foreign ministers of national states, sitting at the same table with men much older than her. Meanwhile, the European Commissioner herself notes: "A woman sitting at the same table with you will not necessarily turn out to be the most compromise and gentle diplomat."

For example, one of its most famous achievements is the conclusion of an agreement to limit the Iranian nuclear program. It is known that during the negotiations Federica immediately took an aggressive position and even allowed herself to severely reprimand Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif ─ they say that if the Iranian side does not accept a number of conditions, the negotiations will simply end in nothing ─ to which she received a sacramental “never frighten the Iranian."

Federica later admitted that she and the Iranian foreign minister simply had the same negotiating tactics, and upon reaching an agreement, they both laughed amiably at the incident.

Today Federica Mogherini is superbly creating around herself the image of a new generation diplomat who is not afraid to raise his voice. One of the experts at the Center for European Policy Studies comments: “She is not a quiet diplomat. She knows how to use her natural charm in the name of foreign policy advantages. While all foreign policy is going through hard times, it manages to pull it to a new level, creating a clearer and more transparent picture of today."

Photo: Getty Images, press archives