Nathalie Tocci

Nathalie Tocci is an Italian political scientist and international relations expert. She is currently a professor of practice at the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies, Europe, and a senior fellow at Bocconi University’s Institute for European Policymaking. She specialises in the role of the European Union (EU) in international affairs, and the relationship between European states. She has been the director of the Istituto Affari Internazionali, and has also worked as an adviser to the government of Italy and to EU officials on foreign policy issues.

Early life and education Tocci studied politics, philosophy, and economics at University College, Oxford, graduating with a BA degree in 1998. In 1999 she obtained an MSc degree from the London School of Economics, with a dissertation in Development Studies that focused on the political economy of Turkey.

In 2014, Tocci worked as an adviser to Federica Mogherini at the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. in her capacity as the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and Vice-President of the European Commission, during the period 2015–2019. She then became an advisor to Josep Borrell when he succeeded Federica Mogherini in those roles. In 2011, Tocci published a book on America's role in mediating the relationship between Turkey and the EU, called Turkey's European Future: Behind the Scenes of America's Influence on EU-Turkey Relations. She also wrote Framing the EU's Global Strategy in 2017.

In 2008, Tocci received the Anna Lindh Award on European Foreign Policy.

Opinion articles Tocci is a frequent media commentator and is often interviewed by international television and newspaper journalists. Since 2023, she has been a Guardian Europe columnist on European political affairs.

In July 2026, she wrote an invited The Economist article exploring the unwillingness of the western European population to fight to defend Ukraine, and the possibility of deploying European forces before a ceasefire to develop a popular mindset that would better prepare the population for war.

Corporate boards Acea, Non-Executive Independent Director Eni, Non-Executive Independent Member of the Board of Directors (since 2020) Edison, Non-Executive Independent Member of the Board of Directors (2013–2020)

Non-profit organizations Centre for European Reform (CER), Member of the Advisory Board Círculo de Empresarios, Member of the Advisory Board European Policy Centre (EPC), Member of the Governing Council (since 2021) European Council on Foreign Relations (ECFR), Member Fondation pour la recherche stratégique (FRS), Member of the Scientific Advisory Board Institute for Integrated Transitions (IFIT), Member of the International Advisory Council Dahrendorf Forum, Member of the Committee

Editorial boards Journal of European Integration, Member of the Editorial Board

Selected works EU Accession Dynamics and Conflict Resolution: Catalysing Peace Or Consolidating Partition in Cyprus? (2004, Ashgate Publishing) The EU and Conflict Resolution: Promoting Peace in the Backyard (2007, Routledge) Turkey's European Future: Behind the Scenes of America's Influence on EU-Turkey Relations (2011, New York University Press) Framing the EU's Global Strategy (2017, Palgrave Macmillan) A Green and Global Europe (2022, Wiley)

Selected awards Anna Lindh Award on European Foreign Policy (2008)