Marine Le Pen, the far-right leader of France, is seeking to reduce the European Union's diplomatic power and to oust Kaya Klaus, the head of EU diplomacy. This demand has been raised ahead of the 2027 presidential elections and reflects the increasing tensions among nationalist parties in Europe.
Conflict in Foreign Policy
According to the views of four officials from the National Rally party of France, Le Pen believes that Klaus plays a limited role in EU diplomacy and instead of strengthening the diplomatic power of member states, he merely replicates their policies. These views have been expressed by Charles-Henri Gallois, an advisor to the head of the National Rally party. He states: "No one recognizes Klaus's legitimacy, neither the United States nor China."
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These statements come at a time when nationalist parties from France to Germany and Poland are seeking to reclaim power from Brussels, with foreign policy being one of their main objectives. This situation puts more pressure on Klaus and the European External Action Service (EEAS), which is currently engaged in a prolonged battle over foreign policy with the European Commission led by Ursula von der Leyen.
Election Prospects and Consequences
Le Pen, who is leading in the polls for the upcoming French presidential elections, has promised during her recent visit to Brussels that if she wins, she will make the European Union smaller. She has stated that "France can no longer accept that the Commission exercises diplomatic, military, or intelligence functions." This reduction of the EU institutions' power also includes weakening the EEAS.
Le Pen's efforts to reduce the EU's diplomatic power may lead to serious confrontations with pro-European parties that view this institution as a necessary tool for competing on the global stage. Barry Andrews, a Member of the European Parliament from Ireland, says: "If Marine Le Pen becomes President of France, she will quickly realize that France is a medium-sized country on the global stage and without the collective power of Europe, it has no chance of competing with the United States or China."
Meanwhile, the EEAS has responded to the criticisms, stating that "EU diplomacy defends European interests, including those of France, and the Union's global representation network is a major strategic asset." These remarks come as the National Rally party prepares to challenge the Commission over France's financial contribution to the EU budget if they win the elections.
The National Rally has recently announced plans to reduce France's €11 billion contribution to the EU budget for 2027. While the party cannot unilaterally cut the EEAS budget, it is looking for allies in Italy and the nationalist Vox party in Spain to exert more pressure in this regard.
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