Mary Robinson for President of the European Council | 28 comments (28 topical, editorial, 0 hidden)

Re: Mary Robinson for President (4.00 / 2)

Campaign proposes Robinson as EU premier - The Irish Times - Fri, Oct 23, 2009

A CAMPAIGN is under way to have former Irish president Mary Robinson considered for the new post of president of the European Council, which will be established when the Lisbon Treaty comes into effect. An online petition has been launched and a website set up by those campaigning for Ms Robinson to be appointed to the position, which is expected to go to a former prime minister of an EU member state.

notes from no w here

by Frank Schnittger (mail Frankschnittger at hot male dotty communists) on Thu Oct 22nd, 2009 at 08:22:52 PM EST

Re: Mary Robinson for President (4.00 / 2)

"EU Premier"?

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

by Carrie (migeru at eurotrib dot com) on Fri Oct 23rd, 2009 at 03:47:33 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Mary Robinson for President (none / 1)

Of course WE know it's not like that. But the very fact that the MSM are widely using the short-hand of EU Premier or President perhaps tells us a few interesting things:

Long titles which require explanation don't make catchy headlines
Non specialist journalists don't always know what they are talking about
The MSM think that there is a market in project the post as that of EU Premier/President
This perhaps reflects some popular yearning for one public face to represent the complexity that is the EU.
Some euro-sceptic Press may want to deliberately inflate the post as a scare tactic to excite their supporters
Some Federalist EU supporters mights like the post to evolve into "the public face of the EU"

In short, the terminological inexactitude may not entirely be a bad thing - if it reflects a yearning for a more accessible, visible, accountable and coherent face of the EU - and if it leads to a better level of engagement in the EU as a consequence.

notes from no w here

by Frank Schnittger (mail Frankschnittger at hot male dotty communists) on Fri Oct 23rd, 2009 at 08:46:18 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Mary Robinson for President (none / 0)

Re 1, as I wrote elsewhere, there might be a language issue here: in English, "EU President" is really the most economical -- though at least "Council President" should not be that difficult... --, in German however, Ratspräsident beats even EU-Präsident.

EU Premier or President

IMO, not an insignificant difference -- and given that Ireland has both, such a confusion is the more glaring. The EU's de-facto Premier is the President of the Commission, and that regardless of whether the President of the European Council will remain the low-key chairman or be turned into an "EU President" as per Bliar's and Sarko's wishes.

Some Federalist EU supporters mights like the post to evolve into "the public face of the EU"

Nah, more the Confederationists: the intergovermentalists.

it reflects a yearning for a more accessible, visible, accountable and coherent face of the EU

How will a Council President Blair be a more accessible, visible, accountable and coherent face of the EU than a Commission President Barroso?

And why hasn't this yearning you analyse materialise in a practice to call Barroso EU Premier?

_{*Lunatic*, n.

One whose delusions are out of fashion.}

by DoDo on Fri Oct 23rd, 2009 at 09:41:03 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Mary Robinson for President (none / 1)

You left out my conditional "if" in front of the yearning quote. I don't know whether or the extent to which it exists although I suspect it does. Barroso is seen as the head bureaucrat and not as a politically elected figure. Prime Ministers are mostly indirectly elected -via their Parliaments - and so I suppose by electing a Council President they are conferring some indirect democrat legitimacy to the President. Yes, I know they also elect/appoint the President of the Commission and so you can argue the same logic applies.

I'm not saying this is right or logical, but for whatever reason the popular conception of the post seems to regard it as more of their representative - rather than a representative of the "Brussels Democracy" - and insofar as this improves the democratic legitimacy of the EU, this is not necessarily a bad thing.

notes from no w here

by Frank Schnittger (mail Frankschnittger at hot male dotty communists) on Fri Oct 23rd, 2009 at 09:53:34 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Mary Robinson for President (none / 1)

Yes, I know they also elect/appoint the President of the Commission and so you can argue the same logic applies.

I think the same logic could apply regarding the bureaucrat/politically elected figure perceptions, too. (And at least my perception of Barroso is not that of a bureaucrat...)

_{*Lunatic*, n.

One whose delusions are out of fashion.}

by DoDo on Fri Oct 23rd, 2009 at 10:05:25 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Mary Robinson for President (none / 1)

All I'm saying is that the way the President of the Council post is being portrayed and perceived in the MSM is quite different to the way the President of the Commission is being portrayed and perceived, and although that may not always be well grounded in the job spec and mode of election of either post, and may thus grate with the eurocognoscenti, it may not altogether be a bad thing that they are perceived so differently. Whether this difference of perception will prove long lasting or not is of course a separate issue and may well depend on the first incumbent of the Council post.

notes from no w here

by Frank Schnittger (mail Frankschnittger at hot male dotty communists) on Fri Oct 23rd, 2009 at 10:27:34 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Mary Robinson for President (none / 0)

in the MSM

English-language MSM.

it may not altogether be a bad thing that they are perceived so differently

That wasn't your original point :-) But I still don't see it.

_{*Lunatic*, n.

One whose delusions are out of fashion.}

by DoDo on Fri Oct 23rd, 2009 at 02:52:45 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Mary Robinson for President of the European Council | 28 comments (28 topical, 0 editorial, 0 hidden)

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