President Europa - If & When

[Cees Binkhorst]

REPLY TO: D66 at nic.surfnet.nl

Het is inderdaad te hopen dat Blair het niet wordt, en de 'meest
geschikte kandidaat' zal uit een klein land moeten komen.
Die zijn er maar in beperkte mate in de EU ;)

Groet / Cees

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/8329554.stm

German party cool on Blair for EU

A senior politician in Germany has cast doubt on the suitability of
British former Prime Minister Tony Blair to be president of the European
Council.

The chief whip of Germany's Free Democrats - the junior partner in the
country's new coalition - said he would prefer someone from a smaller
country.

Mr Blair is the most high-profile name in the frame for the new EU job.

But the prime minister of Luxembourg, Jean-Claude Juncker, has emerged
as a serious rival.

While some countries have expressed support for Mr Blair's candidacy,
others are cooler on the idea. Germany, the most powerful nation in the
EU, has yet to declare its position.

'Europe too dominated'

The chief whip of Germany's Free Democrats, Joerg van Essen, explained
his party's position.

"We know Tony Blair for a very long time but I must admit there is a
sympathy in my party for candidates from a smaller country," he told the
BBC.

"We want to bring European countries closer together, and I think if
someone is from a smaller country these people are more sensitive and
they know the problems of the smaller ones, and I think that would be
helpful for Europe. Europe is too dominated by the biggest ones."

The leader of the Free Democrats, Guido Westerwelle, is Germany's new
foreign minister, and so in a position to influence Germany's decision.

However it will be the Chancellor, Angela Merkel, who is expected to
make the final decision who to back, says the BBC's Steve Rosenberg in
Berlin.

The role of president of the European Council is still not defined, but
it will involve chairing EU summits and representing the EU on the world
stage.

The role will be created if and when the EU's Lisbon Treaty is approved.
The Czech Republic is the only country yet to ratify the treaty, but it
is under pressure to do so soon.

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