Commissioner Catherine Ashton, the current European Commissioner for Trade, has just been nominated to the EU's new foreign affairs post. After the Presidency of the European Commission, this is the most powerful post within the European Union institutions. Catherine Ashton is also an alumna of the predecessor of this department at Bedford College, University of London. The Centre for European Politics at Royal Holloway congratulates its alumna on being appointed to the post of High Representative for the Common Foreign and Security Policy, Vice President of the European Commission, Commissioner for External Relations, and President of the European Union External Relations Council.