Given the way they failed to oppose Barroso, I doubt the European Socialists will do anything against Tony Blair, they will probably be happy to have Steinmeier as a Minister of Foreign Affairs.
BTW, I don't think Merkel sees Blair as a socialist (neither do I), "Dieu se rit des hommes qui se plaignent des conséquences alors qu'ils en chérissent les causes" Jacques-Bénigne Bossuet
If Merkel manages to get Steinmeier the job without jeopardising her coalition government with the FDP she'll have proven she's a consummate politician. En un viejo país ineficiente, algo así como España entre dos guerras civiles, poseer una casa y poca hacienda y memoria ninguna. -- Gil de Biedma
Also, the question is less what the European Socialists would do, or not do, against Blair (this isn't the Barroso EP vote), but the attitude of different countries to the presidency of the European Council and the type of candidate for it: big or small country, grandstander or efficient worker?
Just like the bank bailout (nationalizing the losses, but not the banks) is labelled "socialism" to make it look consensual, to steal arguments from the left, and blame the left for the mess that will remain.
That tour de passe-passe (trick) is one of the wickedest things the right (helped by the ThirdWayers) has done to the left in a long while. In the long run, we're all dead. John Maynard Keynes
I wonder where we would be today if the left hadn't been implementing the neoliberal economic consensus while in power for the past 15 years.
Possibly they would have won fewer elections (at least the left political parties believe this) but they would now be wiping the floor with the economic right in elections.
As it is, they have no credibility to challenge the economic consensus. En un viejo país ineficiente, algo así como España entre dos guerras civiles, poseer una casa y poca hacienda y memoria ninguna. -- Gil de Biedma
And he lost because too much of the left still found that to be too centrist, with the results we know.
So this is not a black and white debate either. In the long run, we're all dead. John Maynard Keynes
Of course, he (and his government) was demonized for it- witness the 35-hour week deluge of propaganda, or the "France is declining" meme. In the long run, we're all dead. John Maynard Keynes
Has there been any analyses of which party groups voted for and which voted against Barroso (and which split their votes)?
I am considering changing my signature but I need more data. 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!
