The figurehead isn't there to write policy notes and have meetings, but to embody a political narrative, so that people know what they're a part of - giving them a chance to feel they can at least agree or disagree, in that traditionally powerless democratic way.
If there are no figureheads, the process becomes remote to the point of disinterest.
The EU does a lot of this already, so picking Van Rompuy and Ashton is in character - more so than picking Blair would have been.
That doesn't mean 'The best we could have expected, considering' is really all that admirable, or the ideal template for the future.
The EU is good at functional politics, but very bad at narrative politics, with theatre and pageantry. Theatre and pageantry are stupid and annoying, but very necessary.
Brussels doesn't want to believe this, but I think it's a mistake to ignore it.
ThatBritGuy:
Brussels doesn't want to believe this
This sounds like a plausible explanation. If you do not believe something, you might develop a structural incompetence in the area, because you prioritize wrong and give promotions to the wrong people. 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!
The EU is good at functional politics, but very bad at narrative politics, with theatre and pageantry. Theatre and pageantry are stupid and annoying, but very necessary. Brussels doesn't want to believe this, but I think it's a mistake to ignore it.
There is also the fact that every time the EU tries to build a pan-European demos - with EU flag days or whatever - you get all kinds of nationalist neanderthals up in arms about the Evil International Jewish/Communist conspiracy "undemocratic, unelected Bruxelles bureaucrats seeking to subvert people's national identity."
And those nationalist neanderthals quite often have a strong say over the federal purse strings...
- Jake If you only spend 20 minutes of the rest of your life on economics, go spend them here.
