Critics Call for EU Foreign Policy Decision-Making Reform after Statement on Venezuela Vetoed

The leaders of two of the European Union’s biggest political groupings have called for urgent reform of how the bloc makes foreign policy decisions after its response to the Venezuela crisis descended into chaos.

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez makes an official statement on Venezuela at La Moncloa palace in Madrid on Feb. 4, 2019. Pierre-Philippe Marcou/AFP/Getty Images

BRUSSELS—The leaders of two of the European Union’s biggest political groupings have called for urgent reform of how the bloc makes foreign policy decisions after its response to the Venezuela crisis descended into chaos.

Senior politicians were urged to rethink rules that require all 28 member states to approve diplomatic decisions in response to Italy vetoing a planned statement that would have declared the bloc’s backing for Juan Guaido.