Blair lobbies directly for EU presidency Tony Blair, the former prime minister, has attempted to revive his fading prospects of becoming the European Union's first full-time president by lobbying directly the leaders of France and Germany, EU government sources have told the Financial Times. As Vaclav Klaus, the Czech president, on Wednesday became the final EU leader to sign the Lisbon treaty, which creates the role of president, it emerged that Mr Blair pressed his candidacy in telephone calls last weekend to Nicolas Sarkozy, France's president, and Angela Merkel, Germany's chancellor, a senior London official said. (...) But with no clear frontrunner among the candidates from smaller countries, and with many national leaders unwilling to show their hand too soon, Mr Blair's candidacy may still have life in it, they said.
Tony Blair, the former prime minister, has attempted to revive his fading prospects of becoming the European Union's first full-time president by lobbying directly the leaders of France and Germany, EU government sources have told the Financial Times.
As Vaclav Klaus, the Czech president, on Wednesday became the final EU leader to sign the Lisbon treaty, which creates the role of president, it emerged that Mr Blair pressed his candidacy in telephone calls last weekend to Nicolas Sarkozy, France's president, and Angela Merkel, Germany's chancellor, a senior London official said.
(...)
But with no clear frontrunner among the candidates from smaller countries, and with many national leaders unwilling to show their hand too soon, Mr Blair's candidacy may still have life in it, they said.
If he has broken cover and is relying on phone-a-friend, it's over.
