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EU lehnt Tony Blair als Präsidenten ab | Sueddeutsche Zeitung | 29.10
Europas Sozialdemokraten lehnen den britischen Ex-Premier Tony Blair an der EU-Spitze ab. Die Präsidentschaft könnte an die Konservativen gehen, vielleicht sogar einen Österreicher - dafür reklamieren die Sozialdemokraten einen anderen Spitzenposten für sich.

Die Chancen des ehemaligen britischen Premiers Tony Blair auf den Posten des Präsidenten des Europäischen Rates tendieren seit Donnerstag gegen null. Beim Treffen der sozialdemokratischen Regierungschefs vor dem Beginn des EU-Gipfels fand der britische Regierungschef Gordon Brown kein Gehör für sein Plädoyer zugunsten seines Vorgängers.

Social Democratic parties don't want him. The "President" could be a conservative, in which case the Social Democratics want another top position. Basically Blair doesn't have a chance.

Later, the article claims that Merkel isn't particularly thrilled at the idea of Blair. As possibilities, they mention Schüssel . Juncker, and Balkenende.

by gk (g k quattro due due sette "at" gmail.com) on Thu Oct 29th, 2009 at 01:56:31 PM EST
I have a low feeling that Balkenende will be the winner. No one appears to oppose him. So we may have helped to prevent Bliar, but two of his Iraq War allies will be in two of the top EU posts.

*Lunatic*, n.
One whose delusions are out of fashion.
by DoDo on Thu Oct 29th, 2009 at 02:28:06 PM EST
[ Parent ]
If we look at all the posts, I would say that by helping to defeat Blair we have increased the chance of someone halfway decent from the soc-dems on some post. If Blair had got the PoTEC, then the rest could have gone to other conservatives.

Better a wolf in wolf clothing...

A vote for PES is a vote for EPP! A vote for EPP is a vote for PES! Support the coalition, vote EPP-PES in 2009!

by A swedish kind of death on Thu Oct 29th, 2009 at 04:05:41 PM EST
[ Parent ]
The second quoted parapgraph contains the important news: at a gathering of seven SocDem EU member state leaders, Brown asked for but failed to get the endorsement of his colleagues for Bliar.

*Lunatic*, n.
One whose delusions are out of fashion.
by DoDo on Thu Oct 29th, 2009 at 02:30:36 PM EST
[ Parent ]
The article also reports that at the meeting, EP PES leader Martin Schulz and Brown had a fierce war of words over the nomination.

The latest name for High Representative is Massimo d'Alema.

*Lunatic*, n.
One whose delusions are out of fashion.

by DoDo on Thu Oct 29th, 2009 at 02:34:01 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Meanwhile, the Guardian continues to channel Bliarite spin, even if this time, they identify the issuers as "Blair fans" etc. But let's focus on the article starter image:

European council presidency may be just the job for Tony Blair - but he can't ask | Politics | The Guardian


Belgium's former leader Guy Verhofstadt, whose bid to be EU commission president faltered once he became the frontrunner. Photograph: Yves Herman/Reuters

...Blair is in the curious position of being the frontrunner for a major new post, though there are serious question marks over his chances because he is refusing to campaign. "Tony will not put himself into a position where he is humiliated like Guy Verhofstadt," one friend said.

What they forogt to say is who foiled Verhofstadt's bid and paved the way for Barroso... a certain PM with the initials T. B.

*Lunatic*, n.
One whose delusions are out of fashion.

by DoDo on Thu Oct 29th, 2009 at 03:57:03 PM EST
[ Parent ]
...something mentioned by Le Monde, as Sarko's and Merkel's reason to not name a candidate like Schröder & Chirac did:

L'amitié entre Angela Merkel et Nicolas Sarkozy est dopée par la nouvelle politique allemande - LeMonde.fr

On a un peu parlé de la présidence du conseil de l'Union européenne. Les deux soutiennent-ils l'ex premier ministre britannique Tony Blair ? Motus : ils ne veulent pas réitérer la contre-performance de Gerhard Schröder et Jacques Chirac qui soutinrent en 2004 tambours battant la candidature du Belge Guy Verhofstadt à la présidence de la Commission, pour se heurter à un veto de... Tony Blair. Mais, confie un convive, "la chancelière et le président apprécient tous les deux Blair et continuent à le dire".


*Lunatic*, n.
One whose delusions are out of fashion.
by DoDo on Thu Oct 29th, 2009 at 05:13:01 PM EST
[ Parent ]

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