Who Speaks for Europe? Brussels Wrestles With Rivalry Between Kallas and Von der Leyen

A dispute over who represents the European Union on the world stage has emerged in Brussels, as France and Germany question how European diplomacy is functioning. At the center of the tension is an apparent rivalry between Kaja Kallas, the EU's foreign policy chief, and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen. Kallas, a former Estonian prime minister, serves as the EU's High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy — the bloc's top diplomat — while von der Leyen leads the European Commission, the EU's executive arm. The two roles have long carried overlapping responsibilities in representing the EU internationally, but the friction between the two figures has drawn criticism from the bloc's two largest member states. France and Germany, traditionally seen as the engine of European integration, are raising concerns that the lack of a clear chain of command is undermining the coherence and effectiveness of EU foreign policy at a time when the bloc faces significant geopolitical challenges.