He oversaw the modernisation of Spain and secured its entry into the EU; he ruled for 13 years before falling from view in a 1996 political scandal. But now Felipe Gonzalez, the charismatic former Socialist prime minister is once more stalking the land and being spoken of as a challenger to Tony Blair in the race to become the first "President of Europe". The post doesn't actually exist yet, and won't unless Irish voters approve the Lisbon Treaty in a second referendum in October. The powers that go with the job are still ill-defined, and candidates are unlikely to emerge until the treaty is ratified. Accordingly, Mr Gonzalez says he is not standing and doesn't aspire to the job.But for a politician who never in his long career took an uncalculated step, actions speak louder than words. Mr Gonzalez's third-term Socialist government collapsed in sleaze in 1996, and his standing suffered after the "dirty war" in which government-sponsored death squads targeted Eta Basque separatists. His personal involvement was never proved, and time has laundered his reputation. Mr Gonzalez has stepped decisively from the shadows to centre stage and is, despite professing lack of interest, positioning himself perfectly.
He oversaw the modernisation of Spain and secured its entry into the EU; he ruled for 13 years before falling from view in a 1996 political scandal. But now Felipe Gonzalez, the charismatic former Socialist prime minister is once more stalking the land and being spoken of as a challenger to Tony Blair in the race to become the first "President of Europe".
The post doesn't actually exist yet, and won't unless Irish voters approve the Lisbon Treaty in a second referendum in October. The powers that go with the job are still ill-defined, and candidates are unlikely to emerge until the treaty is ratified. Accordingly, Mr Gonzalez says he is not standing and doesn't aspire to the job.
But for a politician who never in his long career took an uncalculated step, actions speak louder than words. Mr Gonzalez's third-term Socialist government collapsed in sleaze in 1996, and his standing suffered after the "dirty war" in which government-sponsored death squads targeted Eta Basque separatists. His personal involvement was never proved, and time has laundered his reputation. Mr Gonzalez has stepped decisively from the shadows to centre stage and is, despite professing lack of interest, positioning himself perfectly.
EUOBSERVER / BRUSSELS - With parliament looking increasingly likely to postpone a July vote on the nomination of the next commission president, there is a risk of having a lameduck executive for a further three to four months. The Socialists, Liberals, Greens and far-left have all indicated that they think a mid-July vote on whether Jose Manuel Barroso should be president for a second time is too soon. Mr Barroso - an autumn vote could scupper his chances of a second term in office "It is quite clear there is not a majority for voting in favour," said Socialist leader Martin Schulz on Thursday (2 July). Guy Verhofstadt, leader of the Liberals has, unlike Mr Schulz, not explicitly ruled out a vote in July, but said "substantive issues" had to be discussed first.
EUOBSERVER / BRUSSELS - With parliament looking increasingly likely to postpone a July vote on the nomination of the next commission president, there is a risk of having a lameduck executive for a further three to four months.
The Socialists, Liberals, Greens and far-left have all indicated that they think a mid-July vote on whether Jose Manuel Barroso should be president for a second time is too soon.
Mr Barroso - an autumn vote could scupper his chances of a second term in office
"It is quite clear there is not a majority for voting in favour," said Socialist leader Martin Schulz on Thursday (2 July).
Guy Verhofstadt, leader of the Liberals has, unlike Mr Schulz, not explicitly ruled out a vote in July, but said "substantive issues" had to be discussed first.
