Slovenian minister Tanja Fajon's EU Sahel envoy nomination withdrawn

Tanja Fajon EU Sahel envoy nomination withdrawn Slovenian government Kaja Kallas

Former Slovenian foreign minister Tanja Fajon had her candidacy for the EU’s High Representative for the Sahel withdrawn after EU High Representative Kaja Kallas said the nomination was cancelled due to pressure from the Slovenian government and the European People's Party.

Fajon said domestic politics had outweighed national and EU interests, warning that Slovenia lost a chance for high‑level representation. Prime Minister Janez Janša later declared the “saga” over the appointment closed, citing a ministry report that the nomination was submitted by the General Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs rather than the government – an “outright breach” of legal authority. The nomination had been removed twice from the agenda of the EU Permanent Representatives Committee.