[mr1303]

It seems that Gordon Brown has endorsed Tony Blair running for EU President:

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml...4/nblair114.xml

What do the other European posters think about the possibility of this? I won't cloud the thread with my own views about it just yet.

[helene_t]

Lol, if some politician causes problems at home a convenient way to get him out of the way is to send him to Brussels. Danish prime minister Poul Schlutter was also put forward as chair of the EC after his government fell due to a pover abuse scandal. (I must mention that he was not chosen and not really considered a serious candidate, at least not by anyone outside Denmark. Btw I think he was a nice PM and it was a shame his moronic minister of justice took him with him in the fall, but that's off-topic).

[Aberlour10]

Mr President? hmmm I think "Mr Brakeman of the European Integration" would be the right title for him.

[Al_U_Card]

Seems to me that his toadying up to "W" alienated him from the rest of Europe...but then again, when did the real people ever get to decide?

[sceptic]

I think Tony Blair should be in charge of Europe, they are all a bunch of Tossers that are milking the system, and why not have them headed up by the biggest tosser of the lot

Anyone that believes any of the European politicians are in it for the people IMHO is out of touch with the real world. I would not go as far as to say none care about their own country; I just feel that the European gravy train is to much of a lure to mere mortals

VOTE BLAIR VOTE BLAIR then he can join his buddy Neil Kinnock another successful Labour politician, who son and wife (and probably 100% of any inbreed cousins he has floating about) are milking the system with Jobs of Inflated title justifying immense salaries coming form our pockets in the name of social advancement.

[Winstonm]

Hey, we could send you guys Dubya - we're about done with him here.

[Gerben42]

Sounds like a fun job, being European president. You LOOK important but in fact none of your decisions matter

[csdenmark]

Tony Blair has no friends at the continent. He has friends in Washington but nowhere else. He will have the job as secretary general for NATO if he wants it.

UK is the country least integrated into the european structure. UK pays reduced part of the budget. Tony Blair has the wrong position about Turkey and his monetarism is no longer popular by the socialdemocrats.

Last but not least, if that post will be for a candidate from a big country then it will be from Germany. German politic has been much complicated after Die Linke has come into Hessen and Niedersachsen and next week will be elected in Hamburg too. I will not be surprised if Angela Merkel will be interested and then she will have the job. But if not I think Juncker, Schüssel and Fogh Rasmussen will have fair chances unless they need to look more eastwards. A finnish candicate will be strong I think.

[Trinidad]

csdenmark, on Feb 15 2008, 04:46 AM, said:

A finnish candicate will be strong I think.

That seems sensable. So that option is out .

Rik

[gwnn]

Gerben42, on Feb 15 2008, 09:23 AM, said:

Sounds like a fun job, being European president. You LOOK important but in fact none of your decisions matter

and get lots of money, i'm sure (not that blair would need much more)

[Gerben42]

Quote

That seems sensable. So that option is out .

Rik

I'll take the president of that Liechtenstein bank, he's independent

[helene_t]

Since it is a ceremonial position, the candidate should above all speak at least five of the major European languages, have been living major parts of his life in at least three countries, and have a comforting smile.

I don't care which, if any, party he represents.

(I'm bloody serious, this is not sarcastic).

[kenberg]

Being a provincial American I wasn't aware that the EU was going to have a president but I think that it is really a great idea. Europeans have always had an advantage in the criticism game. They can all focus on criticizing our one president while we need to learn all these different names if we want to counter-criticize. The US media is only now finally settling in on an agreed upon pronunciation for the French president's name. And now we need to learn about his new wife as well. It's a real stress. Having just one president for the whole works will really help and we thank you for it.

They tell me I am supposed to put little smiley faces in my messages when I am joking, other wise overly trusting people will think I am serious. So

[csdenmark]

helene_t, on Feb 15 2008, 03:16 PM, said:

Since it is a ceremonial position, the candidate should above all speak at least five of the major European languages, have been living major parts of his life in at least three countries, and have a comforting smile.

I don't care which, if any, party he represents.

(I'm bloody serious, this is not sarcastic).

It is no ceremonial position Helene. It is tough politic. Thats is why Mr. Blair is not qualified.

It is much about producing politic through mediation. The british political system cannot even come near to produce political credentials for such.

EU is largest world economy and therefore in future the most important player to Russia, India and China. Thats what the job is about and thats here Angela Merkel has outstanding credentials.

But until ratification of the new treaty there is no job. And we are many hoping for Ireland to turn that treaty down.

[helene_t]

Angela Merkel would be over-qualified, IMHO. I'd rather see her as chair of the EC. Vaclav Havel would be ok with me, I think.

[csdenmark]

helene_t, on Feb 15 2008, 04:32 PM, said:

Angela Merkel would be over-qualified, IMHO. I'd rather see her as chair of the EC. Vaclav Havel would be ok with me, I think.

Helene the treaty is a mirror of the french political system. What is left of the german system is a strong constitution court.

The commission will change focus to have the legislation passed through the parliament which body will have more importance according to the treaty. I think Barosso has done a good job, so even he in that way have got many enemies, I think he will be prolonged.

There will be a new and strong focus on European Central Bank, and I think France will insist to stay ahead there.

It is for the president of EU to negotiate world economy into a human face according to european tradition. Hard clashes with USA are likely to come as well as much discussions about military spenditures.

Angela Merkel knows very well she right now has momentum. Her future in Germany is likely to be nothing else than leader of the parliamentary opposition to the first traffic-light coalition(red-yellow-green) and a president for Germany from FDP. Later it is most likely she will face even more hostile political landscape in Germany(red-red-green). A 6-party system might very well be the outcome of the Bayern elections this autumn.

For Angela Merkel it is likely to be now or never.

[cherdano]

I think Tony Blair would be a terrible choice. The debate before the Iraq war was the first time there was something like a European public. The media in one country were closely following the opinions in political debate in other European countries, the anti-war protests got momentum across borders, and so on. It would be horrible symbol to make someone EU president who was so blatantly on the wrong side on this part of recent history.

[han]

sceptic, on Feb 14 2008, 11:27 PM, said:

Anyone that believes any of the European politicians are in it for the people IMHO is out of touch with the real world.

Pff, In my humble opinion you don't know what you are talking about.

[helene_t]

han, on Feb 15 2008, 05:56 PM, said:

sceptic, on Feb 14 2008, 11:27 PM, said:

Anyone that believes any of the European politicians are in it for the people IMHO is out of touch with the real world.

Pff, In my humble opinion you don't know what you are talking about.

Yes, there are a lot of very good people in the European parliament.

[sceptic]

cherdano, on Feb 15 2008, 04:02 PM, said:

I think Tony Blair would be a terrible choice. The debate before the Iraq war was the first time there was something like a European public. The media in one country were closely following the opinions in political debate in other European countries, the anti-war protests got momentum across borders, and so on. It would be horrible symbol to make someone EU president who was so blatantly on the wrong side on this part of recent history.

I agree with your opinion of Blair, but your reasoning is flawed, The Iraq war is something we should be behind, the boys out there do not need to feel it is all for nothing