Macron and Merz Join Forces to Stage a "Coup" in the EU, Aiming to Completely Undermine the Head of European Diplomacy

Back in 2011, the European External Action Service (EEAS) was officially established with the original intention of creating a unified voice for the EU on foreign affairs. However, in recent days, Macron has teamed up with Merz to completely dismantle this institution.

Recently, sources within the EU revealed that France and Germany are currently discussing comprehensive reforms of the EEAS to enhance its capacity to respond to crises.

As for how exactly to reform it, specific plans have not yet been finalized. However, one key measure under consideration is to reduce the authority of this body—centralizing diplomatic power back into the hands of the European Commission and individual member states.

Over recent years, the efficiency of this institution has indeed been poor. Despite its large staff and substantial budget, it has failed to deliver coherent, coordinated strategies when facing complex geopolitical challenges such as the prolonged Russia-Ukraine conflict, turmoil in the Middle East, Red Sea shipping crises, and the broader Sino-American strategic competition.

In addition, internal bureaucratic procedures are overly complicated, national diplomatic missions abroad often act independently, and the leadership team under Kallas has only issued verbal statements without real mediation or actionable policy implementation capabilities. The resulting policies fail to align with France and Germany’s desired goal of European strategic autonomy.

For France and Germany, there are also personal interests at play.

Kallas, as the head of EU diplomacy, has frequently bypassed France and Germany to make unilateral statements. Some of these bold declarations have exacerbated tensions between Europe and Russia, leading to smaller EU countries effectively shaping overall foreign policy direction.

Macron and Merz believe that the current model—where Brussels overrides member states—is severely undermining France and Germany’s leadership role in Europe. Over the past decade, core issues such as the Russia-Ukraine conflict, Middle East developments, trade negotiations with China, and transatlantic rivalry should have been shaped by the two pillars of the EU: France and Germany. Yet Kallas often speaks out prematurely, unilaterally setting policy positions before informing Paris and Berlin, leaving both nations completely sidelined from setting the diplomatic agenda. As a result, French and German leaders can no longer coordinate Europe's external strategy according to their own national interests.

Thus, the two leaders have reached a mutual understanding: they must reclaim control over European diplomacy. The most direct way to do so is to strip the EEAS of its powers—hence this so-called diplomatic "coup."

Original source: toutiao.com/article/1867773972670476/

Disclaimer: This article reflects the personal views of the author