Politico forecasts Estonian PM Kaja Kallas as new EU high representative

The distribution of top European Union leadership positions following the European Parliament elections is expected to proceed smoothly this time, and the role of the high representative of the Union for foreign affairs and security policy is likely to go to Estonian Prime Minister Kaja Kallas, Politico wrote on Wednesday, Report informs via ERR.

According to Politico, an unusually early consensus looks to be emerging around the preferred names to sit at the EU's top table: "Germany's Ursula von der Leyen for a second term as European Commission president, Portugal's António Costa as European Council president, Malta's Roberta Metsola as European Parliament president and Estonia's Kaja Kallas as foreign policy chief."

While nothing is set in stone yet, the outline of a deal is expected by the informal dinner scheduled for June 17, eight European officials and diplomats told Politico.

"Estonian Prime Minister Kallas is eying the job, and as a female Eastern European liberal and national leader, would be a near ideal choice for liberals as they pick a successor to Josep Borrell," Politico writes.

The publication writes that while EU countries with little experience of Russian aggression were initially skeptical of Kallas' hawkish attitudes toward the Kremlin, this opposition has since died down "as Kallas would perfectly fit into the current jobs puzzle, geographically, politically and diplomatically."

But EU officials Politico spoke to admitted that of the four key Commission posts, that of the high representative is still the most uncertain.