by Melanchthon
Thu Jan 31st, 2008 at 08:25:25 AM EST
I think we all share the same opinion: the nomination of Tony Blair as president of the European Union would be a disaster for Europe as well as for the rest of the world. We have mentioned the idea of a Europe-wide petition against it. You will find hereunder the text I've drafted. It is written in French, as I had not enough time to write in English.
First, I propose that you help me to translate it into proper English, and then we should discuss its content and presentation.
The second step will be to translate it into as many languages as possible (German, Spanish and Italian at least). Could you please tell us in which language you propose to translate it?
The third step will be to find a site to host it and to which we can link for people to sign the petition. Should we host it on ET? Should we use ipetitions? Or la petition?
The fourth step will be to define a strategy for its dissemination: whom do we target? Through which channels do we reach them? Should we publish it on friendly sites, on PESmanifesto? Should we send it to organisations (NGOs, Trade unions, political parties)? Do we use e-mailing?
[Update]
Following the debate and several useful contributions, we have drafted what looks like a good text (although you can still make remarks).
Taking the new English version as the original, could you adapt the German (Turambar?) and Spanish (Migeru?) versions using the quotations of the treaty provided by someone?
Nanne will provide a Dutch version and one of his friends could translate it into Polish. We’re still looking for somebody willing to translate it into Italian.
You will find the New English version after the fold and the new French version below:
Update [2008-2-3 9:20:36 by DoDo]: Most current English draft version, incorporating changes suggested by Migeru, afew and DoDo in the comments:
Update [2008-2-4 00:41 by Melanchthon] There is now a new diary: Phase 2: Petition against a Tony Blair presidency
Petition against the nomination of Tony Blair as President of the European Council
We, European citizens of all origins and of all political persuasions, wish to express our total opposition to the nomination of Tony Blair to the Presidency of the European Council.
The Treaty of Lisbon provides for the new post of President of the European Council, to be elected by the Council for a mandate, renewable once only, of two and a half years. Under the terms of the Treaty: "The President of the European Council shall chair it and drive forward its work" and "shall ensure the preparation and continuity of the work of the European Council". Further, "The President of the European Council shall, at his level and in that capacity, ensure the external representation of the Union on issues concerning its common foreign and security policy"¹.
The future President of the Council will therefore have a key role in determining the policies of the Union and its relations with the rest of the world. This first Council Presidency will also have a major symbolic weight for both citizens of the European Union and for the image of the Union in the rest of the world. In this perspective, we believe it is essential that the first president embodies the spirit and values of the European project.
For some time now, increasingly insistent news reports have made evident a wish, in some quarters, to see Tony Blair appointed the first President of the European Council. This appointment, were it to take place, would be in total contradiction with the values professed by the European project.
In violation of international law, Tony Blair committed his country to a war in Iraq that a large majority of European citizens opposed. This war has claimed hundreds of thousands of victims and displaced millions of refugees. It has been a major factor in today's profound destabilisation of the Middle East, and has weakened rather than strengthened world security. In order to lead his country into war, Mr Blair made systematic use of fabricated evidence and the manipulation of information. His role in the Iraq war would weigh heavily on the image of the Union in the world, should he in fact be named its president.
The steps taken by Tony Blair's government, and his complicity with the Bush administration in the illegal programme of "extraordinary renditions", have led to an unprecedented decline in civil liberties. This is in contradiction with the terms of the European Convention of Human Rights, which is an integral part of the treaty.
The European Charter of Fundamental Rights formalizes the founding values of the European project and is one of the pillars of the new treaty. Tony Blair fought its inclusion in the Treaty of Lisbon, and eventually managed to secure an exemption for the UK.
Rather than move European integration forward, the former British Prime Minister set a series of so-called red lines during the Lisbon negotiations², with the intent of blocking any progress in social issues and tax harmonisation, as well as common defence and foreign policy.
Furthermore, it seems unthinkable that the first President of the European Council should be the former head of a government that kept its country out of two key elements of the construction of Europe: the Schengen area of free movement of people and the Euro zone.
At a time when one of the priorities of the European institutions is to reconnect with its citizens, we believe it is essential that all of the four top dignitaries, the Presidents of the Commission, Council and Parliament, and the High Representative for the Common Foreign and Security Policy, should be people with whom a majority of citizens can identify, rather than ones rejected by a majority³. Therefore, we declare our total opposition to this nomination.
New English version (thanks to someone, afew, DoDo and Migerusomeone):
Petition against the nomination of Tony Blair as President of the European Union.
We, European citizens of all origins and of all political persuasions wish to express our total opposition to the nomination of Tony Blair to the presidency of the European Union.
The Treaty of Lisbon provides for the new post of President of the Council of the European Union, to be elected by the Council for a mandate, renewable once only, of two and a half years. Under the terms of the treaty: "The President shall ensure the preparation and continuity of the work of the European Council" and "The President shall chair it and drive forward its work". Further, "The President of the European Council shall, at his level and in that capacity, ensure the external representation of the Union on issues concerning its common foreign and security policy."
The future president will therefore have a key role in determining the policies of the Union and its relations with the rest of the world. This first presidency will also have a major symbolic weight for both citizens of the European Union and for the image of the Union in the rest of the world. In this perspective, we believe it is essential that the first president embodies the spirit and values of the European project.
For some time now, increasingly insistent rumours have instanced a wish, in some quarters, to see Tony Blair appointed the first president of the European Union. This appointment, were it to take place, would be in total contradiction with the values professed by the European project.
In violation of international law, Tony Blair committed his country to a war in Iraq that a large majority of European citizens opposed. This war has claimed hundreds of thousands of victims and turned millions into refugees. It contributed to destabilising deeply the Middle East, and eroded world security. In order to lead his country into war, he made systematic use of lies and the manipulation of information. His role in the Iraq war would weigh heavily on the image of the Union in the world should he in fact be named its president.
The steps taken by Tony Blair's government, and his complicity with the Bush administration in the illegal programme of "extraordinary renditions", have led to an unprecedented decline in civil liberties. This is in contradiction with the terms of the European Convention of Human Rights which is an integral part of the treaty.
The European Charter of Fundamental Rights formalizes the founding values of the European project and is one of the pillars of the new treaty. Tony Blair fought its inclusion in the Treaty of Lisbon, and eventually managed to secure an exemption for the UK.
Rather than move European integration forward, the former British Prime Minister set a series of so-called red lines during the Lisbon negotiations, with the intent of blocking any progress in social issues and tax as well as common defence and foreign policy.
Furthermore, it seems unthinkable that the first president of the European Union should be the former head of a government that kept its country out of two key elements of the construction of Europe: the Schengen area of free movement of people and the Euro zone.
At a time when one of the priorities of the European institutions is to reconnect with its citizens, we believe it is essential that its president should be a person with which a majority of citizens can identify. Therefore, we declare our total opposition to this nomination.
New French version:
Pétition contre la nomination de Tony Blair comme Président de l’Union Européenne.
Nous, citoyens européens de toutes origines et de toutes tendances souhaitons exprimer notre totale opposition à la nomination de Tony Blair à la présidence de l’Union Européenne.
Le traité de Lisbonne prévoit la création du poste de président du Conseil de l’Union Européenne élu par le Conseil pour un mandat de deux ans et demi, renouvelable une fois. Selon les termes du traité : « Le président assure la préparation et la continuité des travaux du Conseil européen » et « Le président préside et anime les travaux du Conseil européen ». De même, « le président du Conseil européen assure, à son niveau et en sa qualité, la représentation extérieure de l’Union pour les matières relevant de la politique étrangère et de sécurité commune ».
Le futur président aura donc un rôle essentiel dans la détermination des politiques de l’Union et dans ses relations avec le reste du monde. Cette première présidence aura aussi un poids symbolique majeur aussi bien pour les citoyens de l’Union Européenne que pour l’image de l’Union dans le reste du monde. Dans cette perspective, il nous paraît essentiel que le premier président incarne l’esprit et les valeurs du projet européen.
Depuis quelques temps, des rumeurs de plus en plus insistantes évoquent le souhait de certains de faire de Tony Blair le premier président de l’Union Européenne. Cette nomination, si elle devait advenir, serait en totale contradiction avec les valeurs portées par le projet européen.
En violation du droit international, Tony Blair a engagé son pays dans une guerre en Irak, guerre à laquelle une vaste majorité des citoyens européens étaient opposés. Cette guerre a fait des centaines de milliers de victimes et entraîné le déplacement de millions de réfugiés. Elle a contribué à déstabiliser gravement le Moyen-Orient et fait reculer la sécurité dans le monde. Pour entraîner son pays dans la guerre, il a utilisé de manière systématique le mensonge et la manipulation de l’information. Son rôle dans la guerre en Irak pèserait lourdement sur l’image de l’Union dans le monde s’il advenait qu’il en soit nommé président
Les mesures que le gouvernement de Tony Blair a prises et sa complicité avec l’administration Bush dans le programme illégal « extraordinary renditions » ont amené un recul sans précédent des libertés civiles en contradiction avec les termes de la Convention Européenne des Droits de l’Homme qui fait partie intégrante du traité.
La Charte Européenne des Droits Fondamentaux formalise les valeurs fondatrices du projet européen et constitue un des piliers du nouveau traité. Tony Blair en a combattu l’intégration dans le traité de Lisbonne pour finalement obtenir que la Charte ne s’applique pas au Royaume-Uni.
Plutôt que de faire avancer l’intégration européenne, l’ancien premier ministre britannique a imposé un certain nombre de « lignes rouges » au cours des négociations du traité de Lisbonne, avec pour but d’empêcher tout progrès sur les questions sociales et fiscales ainsi que de politique étrangère et de sécurité commune.
Enfin, il nous paraît inenvisageable que le premier président de l’Union Européenne soit l’ancien chef d’un gouvernement qui a maintenu son pays en dehors de deux éléments clefs de la construction de l’Europe : la zone Schengen de libre circulation des personnes et la zone Euro.
A l’heure où l’une des priorités des institutions européennes est de renouer avec ses citoyens, il nous paraît essentiel que celui-ci soit une personnalité en qui une majorité de citoyens puissent se reconnaître. C’est pourquoi nous affirmons notre totale opposition à cette nomination.
