Britain's history on Europe can lead one to think that their main goal is to weaken the EU and make it as powerless as possible - or, for the smarter types, to make it powerful only in ways that fit with their priorities

their loud and extensive campaign to grab one of the two new jobs had to be seen with suspicion

If Spain had a PP government and they had lobbied to install Aznar it would have been the same: an attempt by a megalomaniac atlanticist backed by his christian democrat cold warrior party. I would hope "national character" would not have been an essential part of ET commentary.

Maybe we should start insisting on how Chirac and Sarkozy reflect negatively on the personal character of French ETers in order to bring the point home.

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