...Tony Blair has fought its integration in the Treaty of Lisbon, and eventually managed to secure an exemption for the UK.

Instead of moving European integration forward, the former British Prime Minister has set a series of so-called red lines during the Lisbon negotiations, which also involved the intent to block any advances in tax harmonisation, defense and foreign policy harmonisation.

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.

Finally, by selecting Tony Blair for President, the European Council wouldn't just damage the image of the EU abroad, but at home, too: it would be the selection of someone rejected by wide majorities of the population of EU member countries, as shown in a recent FT/Harris poll.

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 is a person with which a majority of citizens can identify. Therefore, we declare our total opposition to this nomination.