Women on Mars: Assessing the Role of the Two Post-Lisbon High Representatives in the Case of Libya

Ever since the coming into force of the Lisbon Treaty (2009), the EU has had two High Representatives of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy (HRs): Catherine Ashton (2009–14) and Federica Mogherini (2014–19). This paper assesses the role these two women played in EU policy making and in the governance of a traditionally highly male-dominated policy sector – foreign and security policy. Focusing on leadership as behaviour, the paper examines Ashton’s and Mogherini’s performance as chairs of the Foreign Affairs Council and in their capacity as vice-presidents of the European Commission in regard to EU foreign policy on Libya. Libya has remained a highly divisive foreign policy concern throughout the mandates of both Ashton and Mogherini, and EU-Libya relations crucially involve aspects of both the intergovernmental Common Foreign and Security Policy and the supranational European Neighbourhood Policy. On the one hand, examining the tenures of two different office holders allows us to identify when policy processes are shaped by the personality of the incumbents. On the other hand, while the relevance of the intergovernmental dimension prompts an examination of the role played by the HR as chair of the Foreign Affairs Council, the supranational features may be an essential starting point for the HR to foster more integrated policies and an increased role of the Commission in her/his capacity as Vice President of this institution.