At 18.48 Le Monde broke the news. Herman Van Rompuy (Belgium) was designated as the first “President of the EU” while Catherine Ashton (UK) is to be the first High Representative for Foreign Affairs. The Council meeting was widely expected to last into the early hours of morning so the sudden announcement comes as a surprise. As I type (1900) the (TV) BBC is still running a speculative piece that mentions both Rompuy and Ashton as favourites. So are Europe’s first President and High Representative for Foreign Affairs the result of Europe’s greatest quickie?
To be continued. (Refresh page regularly)
UPDATE #1: RTBF Sat (Belgian) TV is still speaking of Van Rompuy as a good candidate and not as a president.
UPDATE #2: It appears that the Irish Prime Minister is raising the Henry Handball issue with Sarkozy during tonight’s meeting. (BBC) Sarkozy has urged the Irish government to keep out of football.
UPDATE #3: Although still using cautious term “to propose” EURONEWS scroll states “EU Presidency to propose Belgian PM Herman Van Rompuy as EU President and British EU Commissioner Catherine Ashton as Foreign Policy Chief – EU Diplomats”. Somehow you suspect that this could be a pre-emptive media measure announcing the choice as a fait accompli before the actual decision is taken. No big surprises if this whole media Breaking News business is part of the wheeling and dealing.
UPDATE #4: Le Mondejust included the article announcing the appointment on their website: click here.
UPDATE #5: BBCWORLD update (TV) Sweden has formally proposed Herman Van Rompuy as first President.
UPDATE #6: Spare a thought for the Kingdom of Belgium – rudderless once again if their PM is whisked off to the head of the Union.
UPDATE #7: BBCWORLD has announced the appointment as official (although they still use the terms “it appears”) – they’ve just added a roundup of main headlines and are still describing Van Rompuy as frontrunner (we still think the French cheated their way to South Africa)
UPDATE #8: EURONEWS enroll expert Piotr Kaczynski to commenton choices. The interview is on the lines of “unconfirmed reports”. Kaczyinski comments that Ashton would be a weak choice since she has not previously filled the post of Foreign Minister. Ashton is in all probability a good bureaucrat but will she be a good political leader? As for Van Rompuy.. does Kissinger finally get his answer?
—END— MORE TOMORROW–
3 replies on “Breaking News – EU President Chosen?”
All I can think of at the moment is that, as a Roman Catholic, Blair should have known that entering the conclave a Pope you’d exit a cardinal.
Yes Blair and Juncker, the favourites, were qualified for the job. The reasons why they were not chosen were circumstances beyond their control. Blair was not accepted since the UK does not have the euro, while Juncker …. maybe since Luxembourg is a small country but consider Santer …
So congratulations Van Rompuy and Ashton and the Jesuits (Van Rompuy had a Jesuit education)!
I find this to be a disappointing choice. I believe that history amply shows that an eventual gelling of ‘europe’ into a cohesive union, based on the joys of diversity and the freedom of responsibility, needs a vibrant Turkey as a crucial contributor to the european mix of matters islamic. balkan, middle-eastern, and geographical…that europe responded to turkey’s desire to join the union with the ‘spirit’ of Reynald of Châtillon and Guy of Lusignan may go down as a major mistake…