A stronger Europe in the world. Von der Leyen’s Foreign Policy

Upon taking office, von der Leyen announced that her Commission will be a “geopolitical Commission”. What are the gendered implications? This paper unpacks what the Commission’s ambition for a “Union of Equality” means in the field of external relations and, specifically, how it interacts with the Commission’s priority for ‘A Stronger Europe in the World.’ In this pillar, the Commission emphasizes multilateralism, the rule-based order, and a more vital and responsible role for the EU globally. In particular, the paper assesses three external policies: the EU’s approach to Ukraine within the larger context of the Common Security and Defence Policy (CSDP), the EU’s broader relations with Africa, and the renewed commitment to EU membership of the Balkan countries. The paper highlights that although gender+ equality is far from being mainstreamed in EU external policies, von der Leyen’s ‘Union of Equality’ and its ambition for a stronger Europe have reinforced each other.