Commentaries
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A camel for EU president?
A camel, says an old Middle East joke, is a horse designed by a committee.
The European Union is in danger of getting camels for its two new leadership positions — president of the European Council and foreign policy High Representative — because of the dysfunctional appointment process created by the Lisbon Treaty.
The secretive horse (or camel)-trading by which EU governments choose the 27-nation bloc’s top office-holders seems designed to deter strong candidates and produce lowest-common-denominator outcomes. Some of the most able potential contenders would rather stay at home than take the key jobs to Brussels.
The treaty does not provide for a democratic election because the EU is not a state, and national governments don’t want a European president with his own legitimacy. However, the rules also seem to set aside the basic principles and procedures that any private sector company or public authority would use to select the best CEO or manager.
In a normal selection process, the jobs would go to the best qualified candidates with a clear vision, relevant experience and a track record of achievement, normally after a series of rigorous interviews. But the treaty suggests that the need to share the spoils among large and small states, and countries from the north, south, east and west of Europe is more important than criteria such as ability, charisma or experience.
Re-elected Barroso faces market challenge
Jose Manuel Barroso promised the European Parliament that as re-elected president of the European Commission he will have more authority to fight for Europe and defend its single market against economic nationalism.
But after five years of toadying to the big member states, he will need to show more spine to enforce state aid and competition rules on Germany, Britain and France in the teeth of strong national financial or commercial interests.
Gifts for all on Barroso’s Christmas tree
Jose Manuel Barroso’s pitch to the European Parliament for a confirmation vote on Wednesday was like a Christmas tree, with gifts for everyone.
Bidding for a second term with a wider majority than his own centre-right political family, Barroso produced last-minute peace offerings for the centrist liberals, the centre-left socialists, the environmentalist greens, women, trade unionists, the French and the scientific community.
French PM eyes Barroso’s job?
Is France trying to stymie Jose Manuel Barroso’s re-election for a second term as European Commission president?
An intriguing story in Le Monde reports that French Prime Minister Francois Fillon (pictured left with Barroso and President Nicolas Sarkozy) is considering offering his services as head of the European Union executive if Barroso fails to win majority support from the European Parliament this month. Le Monde quotes an unidentified French minister and an anonymous senior diplomat, with a comment from Fillon’s office declining to speculate on a Barroso failure and saying that of course, the prime minister is interested in Europe but he hasn’t put himself forward as a candidate.
Barroso’s EU vision lacks levers for change
Could the European Union be among the big losers of the global financial crisis?
Despite signs that recession in Europe may be bottoming out, the 27-nation bloc risks emerging from the turmoil with its economic growth potential stunted, its public finances shackled by mountains of debt, and its international influence weakened.
That is the backdrop to Jose Manuel Barroso’s campaign for a second term as president of the executive European Commission. In a manifesto sent to EU lawmakers last week, he warns that unless Europeans shape up to the challenge together, ”Europe will become irrelevant”.
Blair for EU president? Don’t hold your breath
The British government has chosen a strange time to announce its support for former Prime Minister Tony Blair for the not-yet-existent job of President of the European Council. French President Nicolas Sarkozy has publicly touted Blair as a good candidate, and his name is among a handful discussed among EU diplomats. But there was no obvious reason for Europe Minister Glynnis Kinnock to go public with a British candidacy now.
For one thing, the vacancy will only arise if Irish voters approve the Lisbon Treaty at the second time of asking on Oct. 2, and the Czech and Polish presidents then agree to sign it. Touting candidates now might seem to be taking the Irish for granted and may not go down well in Dublin.
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The Wall
