'If you choose a new pope, you should pick a Catholic,' Guy Verhofstadt, a former Belgian premier, said as he urged leaders to pick a candidate with strong European credentials. German Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President Nicolas Sarkozy might well back Van Rompuy, a relatively obscure figure unlikely to threaten their grip on Brussels. But others, among them Swedish Foreign Minister Carl Bildt, argue that leaders should instead push for 'strong personalities' capable of giving the EU a strong voice on the world stage.
German Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President Nicolas Sarkozy might well back Van Rompuy, a relatively obscure figure unlikely to threaten their grip on Brussels.
But others, among them Swedish Foreign Minister Carl Bildt, argue that leaders should instead push for 'strong personalities' capable of giving the EU a strong voice on the world stage.
this kind of language is sounding century archaic.
we need wisdom and circumspection, not stature as they see it, a mixture of self-importance and delusions of eurograndeur, an ability to hold a rictus smile while gliding around cocktail parties and shaking paws with the hoighty-toighty.
europe needs to continue with soft power, think obama without the exceptionalist streak.
give it to mary already, make us all proud! ~"When an inner situation is not made conscious, it appears outside as fate." Karl Jung~
45088 Signatures
A cross-party group of MEPs have called for former Irish president Mary Robinson for the role of EU president. Robinson has already ruled herself out of the running but the 30-strong group say EU leaders meeting in Brussels on Thursday to discuss the post should urge her to "reconsider" her decision. The deputies, from four political groups,make their demands in signed declaration which will be delivered to the summit.
Robinson has already ruled herself out of the running but the 30-strong group say EU leaders meeting in Brussels on Thursday to discuss the post should urge her to "reconsider" her decision.
The deputies, from four political groups,make their demands in signed declaration which will be delivered to the summit.
Whatever differences exist between its member states, the prerequisite for a well-functioning European Union is that institutions work well together. In order to make progress towards the ends we seek, we need agreement on the means by which policy is made. ... At stake is the European Union's influence - including, of course, the defence of its own interests in a globalised and multipolar world. That is why it is vital for the European machine to function well even as the 27 member states debate the EU's positions and direction. ... The Union's permanent president will only be truly useful if he or she facilitates debate at the highest level about Europe's future. There can be no question of nominating a super-head of government who might contradict the Union's basic contract - namely, shared sovereignty in certain policies but not in all prerogatives of states. He or she must be a convinced European, from a country that subscribes to all Union policies.It would be a poor interpretation of the Lisbon treaty if the chosen person were to consider himself or herself as the president of the European Union. ...
...
At stake is the European Union's influence - including, of course, the defence of its own interests in a globalised and multipolar world. That is why it is vital for the European machine to function well even as the 27 member states debate the EU's positions and direction.
The Union's permanent president will only be truly useful if he or she facilitates debate at the highest level about Europe's future. There can be no question of nominating a super-head of government who might contradict the Union's basic contract - namely, shared sovereignty in certain policies but not in all prerogatives of states. He or she must be a convinced European, from a country that subscribes to all Union policies.
It would be a poor interpretation of the Lisbon treaty if the chosen person were to consider himself or herself as the president of the European Union. ...
... The high representative's term will be a success if he or she can strengthen the Union's cohesion in certain areas of foreign policy. I am thinking in particular of the relationship with Russia, with its energy-supply dimension. Our economic interests must find expression in a common foreign-policy position. ...
Notre Europe: The European Union after Lisbon: a three-part counterpoint
The Commission, led by a President voted by the Parliament, must once again become the driving force of the Union. Whilst it should be ready to listen to the Council, it must cease to act its self-effacing secretariat. It must regain its collegiality, its assertiveness and use its powers of initiative, control and implementation resolutely and ambitiously. The High Representative, Vice-president of the Commission, must be able to make proposals and draw a synthesis, thus becoming the artisan of a genuine European foreign policy to be pursued in all the domains. The Council must become a college in which the states, rather than impeding it, implement the Union's sovereignty. This is impossible without a generalisation of the majority vote and without a publicising of its work. A key role will be that of the future full-time President of the European Council, who must be a convinced European, belonging to a country that subscribes to all Union policies. The Parliament, strengthened by the legitimacy which it draws from the citizens and by its independence from the national governments, must fully apply its reinforced powers to break the inaction of the Council-Commission. It must dare to develop a firm and constructive strategy, even, if necessary, temporarily delaying decisions, in order to obtain a budget reform worthy of oncoming challenges, truly European revenues and the resources required to achieve the common policies inscribed in the Treaties.
The Council must become a college in which the states, rather than impeding it, implement the Union's sovereignty. This is impossible without a generalisation of the majority vote and without a publicising of its work. A key role will be that of the future full-time President of the European Council, who must be a convinced European, belonging to a country that subscribes to all Union policies.
The Parliament, strengthened by the legitimacy which it draws from the citizens and by its independence from the national governments, must fully apply its reinforced powers to break the inaction of the Council-Commission. It must dare to develop a firm and constructive strategy, even, if necessary, temporarily delaying decisions, in order to obtain a budget reform worthy of oncoming challenges, truly European revenues and the resources required to achieve the common policies inscribed in the Treaties.
The Union's permanent president ... It would be a poor interpretation of the Lisbon treaty if the chosen person were to consider himself or herself as the president of the European Union. ...
The Union's permanent president ...
A little inconsistent there :-) Well, to quote the ominous start of his last paragraph,
To misuse words can be dangerous.
:-) *Lunatic*, n. One whose delusions are out of fashion.
Gordon Brown's insistence on maintaining Tony Blair's candidacy for the EU presidency, despite the general rejection it has caused, is blocking the appointment of the Union's leaders. The consensus agreement between the German Chancellor Angel Merkel and the French President Nicolas Sarkozy to make the Belgian Prime Minister Herman Van Rompuy the first permanent president of the European Union is meeting resistance from the British Prime minister who favours his predecessor. In addition, the French-German initiative has caused unease to Fredrik Reinfelds, prime minister of Sweden, who holds the Union's presidency and who, as such, is charged with making the nominations for the appointments.
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