European Diplomats writes: Kaja Kallas, the former Prime Minister of Estonia and leader of the Reform Party, has been nominated as the European Union High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy. She will be the first Estonian and the first person from the former Soviet bloc to hold this position. Kallas has expressed her commitment to developing a unified security policy to counter external threats and prioritizing the ongoing war in Ukraine (Tkáčová & Caroline, 2024).
Reasons for Her Nomination
Kaja Kallas comes from a politically influential family; her father, Siim Kallas, is a former Prime Minister of Estonia. A lawyer by profession, she became the leader of the Reform Party and has been an outspoken critic of Russian aggression in Ukraine. Notably, she was the first EU leader to send arms to Ukraine as soon as Russia began mobilizing its military at the Ukrainian border (Cliffe, 2024). Her proactive stance and her background from a post-Soviet nation garnered substantial support among EU representatives.
However, both political and personal motivations likely influenced her decision to pursue this high-profile EU role. Politically, her coalition government in Estonia experienced a setback in the recent EU elections, partly due to unpopular policies such as tax increases and controversies surrounding her husband’s business dealings in Russia amid EU sanctions. A poll from April 2024 indicated that only 19% of Estonians supported her as Prime Minister (Fox, 2024). Despite this, her strong anti-Russia stance made her popular among the broader EU audience, prompting her to seek a larger platform.
Kaja Kallas’s Image Among EU Member States
Following the outbreak of the Russia-Ukraine war, Kallas used her political skills, personal history of suffering under Soviet occupation, and Eastern European background to rally support across Europe. She reportedly gained endorsements from influential EU players, including the French President, although she dismissed these claims (ERR News, 2024). Her nomination is supported by Poland, Spain, Germany, the Netherlands, and Greece.
Conversely, Italy's Giorgia Meloni and Hungary's Viktor Orban abstained from supporting her nomination (Fox, 2024). Italy's abstention, in particular, highlights potential challenges the HRVP position might face in making independent decisions.
Future of Estonia
Kaja Kallas has officially resigned as Estonia's Prime Minister, with her climate minister Kristen Michal set to replace her (O'Donoghue & O'Sullivan, 2024). Her three-party coalition government has been dismissed to allow for a new administration. While domestic politics in Estonia are expected to remain stable, Kallas aims to leverage her new EU role to bolster her reputation at home. This move provides her with a five-year period to enhance her global image as the EU’s HRVP, giving her time to regain popularity domestically and potentially return to national politics in the future.
