A portrait of Federica Mogherini, the EU's next foreign policy chief

Guardian ^ | 30/8/14 | Lizzy Davies

[Eleutheria5]

In late November 2012, while Matteo Renzi was making an ill-fated bid for leadership of the Italian centre-left, a young MP from his Democratic Party (PD) piped up on Twitter to remark: "OK, Renzi has quite a lot to learn about foreign policy … He won't make the pass mark, I fear #thirdgrade." When he won the PD primaries the following winter, Renzi – canny as ever – hired his sharp-tongued critic as the party's spokesperson on Europe and international affairs. Once prime minister, he ushered her into the top job at Italy's foreign office.

Now, the shoe is firmly on the other foot: it is Federica Mogherini – on her way to Brussels to become Cathy Ashton's successor in the EU – who, according to her critics, has a lot to learn. And the jury is out on whether the 41-year-old Roman- who has six months' experience in government as foreign minister, no more and no less – will make the grade. Le Monde, the French daily, last week said her appointment would be "a sad day for Europe".

To Brussels box-tickers, Mogherini, as a woman and a social democrat, meets two of the chief criteria for the job. But her critics believe she lacks the proper credentials for a role that has always struggled to be as grand in practice as it is on paper. More than a decade younger than Ashton was when she started in 2009, the Italian had her first taste of executive power in late February, when she replaced the highly experienced Emma Bonino, a former European commissioner, in the Farnesina.

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[Eleutheria5]

She is not Ashton, so that's at least one point in her favor.

[Tax-chick]

Didn’t your mama ever tell you, “Your face will freeze like that,” Federica?

[familyop]

Looks like some folks are letting their religious/political/national identity get the best of ‘em and are pushing someone who is on the side of the Russians. Doesn’t really matter, though. When defense is needed, it only pretends to take advice from pretty politicians with crazy eyes. And politicians with crazy eyes sign whatever is needed for generals.