Mr Blair's chances faded last week at an EU summit where the UK's Labour government found little support even from nominal centre-left friends in Portugal and Spain. Ms Merkel said she thought it advisable for the first full-time president to come from a smaller country. This indicated she was not in favour of a strong-willed, globally recognised but controversial politician in the Blair mould."The impression is that ever more leaders seem to agree that they want a [lower-profile] `chairman' rather than a `president' of the European Council," said Antonio Missiroli, director of studies at the European Policy Centre, a Brussels-based think-tank.However, Mr Sarkozy, one of Mr Blair's earliest supporters, had not given up hope that the former UK leader could clinch the job, French officials said.
"The impression is that ever more leaders seem to agree that they want a [lower-profile] `chairman' rather than a `president' of the European Council," said Antonio Missiroli, director of studies at the European Policy Centre, a Brussels-based think-tank.
However, Mr Sarkozy, one of Mr Blair's earliest supporters, had not given up hope that the former UK leader could clinch the job, French officials said.
