Jan Peter Balkenende has returned to The Hague from last night's summit in Brussels to pick up where he left off. He says he never wanted the job of first president of Europe - and he didn't get it, losing out to his neighbour, Belgian Prime Minster Herman van Rompuy. But how damaged is he by the EU selection process?

Mr Balkenende returned from the summit with his head held high. Happy for Europe that a good team was chosen quickly, and happy for The Netherlands that he gets to finish his four-year term as prime minister. But insiders wonder if Mr Balkenende shouldn't be returning with his tail between his legs. It was no secret that he wanted to become Europe's first president, no matter how often he denied it, and his thwarted ambitions could damage his credibility.
 

Colourless mouse
Mr Balkenende won't be received with open arms in The Hague - and certainly not by Geert Wilders, leader of the opposition Freedom Party. "They've found an even more colourless mouse than Balkenende  to fill the job," sneered Mr Wilders, "It's a shame. I'd have been very happy to see him leave for Brussels, because that would have meant early elections as far as I'm concerned."

Mr Balkenende was having a tough time of it long before the Lisbon Treaty was ratified and the question arose of who would fill the new EU post. He leads an uneasy coalition government joining his own centre-right Christian Democrats with perennial rivals, the centre-left Labour Party. The financial crisis has only worsened a general feeling of disillusionment among the Dutch voting public.

Missteps
Mr Balkenende has not helped matters by making a number of political missteps.