Federica Mogherini, former EU foreign policy chief, has resigned as rector of the College of Europe after being indicted in an ongoing corruption investigation. In a message to staff, she said she was stepping down “in line with the utmost rigour and fairness” with which she carried out her duties.
She also confirmed her resignation as director of the EU Diplomatic Academy, which is at the centre of a probe into alleged procurement fraud, corruption, conflict of interest and breaches of professional secrecy. The academy, launched in 2023 with a budget of nearly €1m, was created to train upcoming European diplomats.
Investigators are examining whether confidential information was improperly shared during the tender process that allowed the College of Europe to win the contract for running the academy. The inquiry has led to searches at Mogherini’s home and at EU foreign service offices. All accused individuals maintain the allegations are unfounded and assert their confidence in the judicial process.
Stefano Sannino, former top official at the EU’s foreign service and later a senior European Commission director, has also been formally accused and has taken leave until his planned retirement. The case has already drawn political attention, particularly from critics of EU institutions, and is expected to fuel further scrutiny of EU governance.