Mafia war in the heart of the EU – Mogherini’s "head" was taken, a message to Ursula: The "pie" is shrinking

The Brussels mafia is clearly in crisis. One by one, those who have now dipped their hand deeper into the honey pot are being removed.

The fact that the European Union is in crisis is nothing new, but it is clear that the "pie" everyone was eating from has apparently shrunk.

And of course, anyone who disagrees with Ursula von der Leyen's "rules" is quickly shown the door. It is therefore unnecessary to talk about the fact that the European Commission is facing the biggest challenge to its credibility. It has no credibility. Now, some investigations into fraud are also taking place.

And since few are not involved in scandals and haven't taken "black money," Brussels is in crisis. It's no small thing that two top EU officials have been arrested.

In the realm of scandal

Exactly one year after taking up her second term as President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen finds herself in a political conundrum. Questions about the transparency and foreign policy of the EU constantly arise, and now she is called upon to manage an investigation involving two major Brussels personalities.

The investigation is linked to accusations of corruption, conflict of interest, and violation of professional secrecy, and it endangers the Commission's public image.

The arrested officials and the accusations

The European Public Prosecutor's Office announced the arrest of Federica Mogherini, former Vice-President of the Commission and former Head of EU Foreign Policy (EEAS), as well as Stefano Sannino, former EEAS Secretary-General and now a senior official in the von der Leyen Commission.

The investigation focuses on tenders from 2021-2022 for the creation of a diplomatic academy at the College of Europe, where Mogherini is the Rector. If their guilt is proven, the scandal could cause incalculable damage to the credibility of the EU institutions.

Turbulence in relations with the External Action Service

The investigation has created tensions in relations between von der Leyen and Kaja Kallas, the current Head of the EU's External Action Service. Sannino's departure from his position as EEAS Secretary-General and his transfer to the Commission intensifies the conflict, while von der Leyen's critics are expected to blame her for the scandal, despite the fact that she is not responsible for the EEAS's actions.

The political confrontation

The arrest of the two officials has provoked reactions from both the political Left and the Right. Manon Aubry, co-chair of The Left group in the European Parliament, stated that the credibility of the EU institutions is in immediate danger, while Eurosceptics see the case as another proof of the hypocrisy of European institutions.

Zoltan Kovacs, spokesperson for Hungary, spoke of "irony" regarding Brussels's stance on the rule of law issue, while Russia, through Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova, expressed dissatisfaction with the EU's hypocritical attitude towards its own problems.

Corruption in the EU

The EU has suffered severe blows from corruption scandals in recent years, with the "Qatargate" scandal in 2022 being a characteristic example, when the Qatari government was accused of attempting to bribe MEPs through cash payments and gifts. This year's scandal concerning Huawei intensifies concerns about corruption within the European institution.

The Commission, although it put the blame on MEPs in the past, has not avoided accusations of improper action, as shown by the European Court of Justice's decision regarding the concealment of messages between von der Leyen and the CEO of Pfizer during the pandemic.

Political chaos or confrontation?

This investigation is expected to have a catalytic effect on the relations between the EU institutions and cause political turmoil across Europe. The day after for Ursula von der Leyen and her Commission depends on the outcome of the investigation and the reactions of the public and political factions.

The coming days will reveal whether this scandal will mark the course of the EU for the next few decades or whether the European Commission will manage to emerge unscathed from this new crisis.

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