I've taken all the great details you've put into your diary about small country concerns etc. as read and just added my 2 cents.  Of course its a lot more complex - wheels within wheels - but bottom line, the rotating Presidency will lose a huge amount of its kudos whoever gets the job.  with c. 30 member states it was only coming around once every 15 years anyway - way beyond the planning horizon of any career politician...

notes from no w here