Sunday
(0)This is the question exercising the chancelleries of the European Union, as well as the larger horizons of the Beltway. However, one position concerns the elected leader of the free world; the other is the appointed non-entity of the slow-motion car crash vacuuming the vestiges of freedom in Europe.
Who should be the next president of the European Commission? You could argue that the whole enterprise is irredeemably corrupt, and should instill an appropriate reflex: fight or flee. Nevertheless, in the real world, what would be the preferred qualities of any candidate?
Dennis MacShane, Britain's Minister for Europe, has outlined a few:
MacShane said the successor to Commission President Romano Prodi, who EU leaders hope to name at a summit in Brussels later this month, need not be a former EU leader. "He has to be able to communicate a vision of Europe, he has to see himself not as Europe's king but as its servant, and he does not necessarily have to be a prime minister," MacShane said."A strong commissioner or a strong minister would probably be the best choice," MacShane said. "A Commission President must also not be seen as anti-American," he added.
The candidate should have strong political experience and international influence; the ability to communicate well; and the desire to draw the United States of America and Europe closer together. As a libertarian, I would prefer to see a political and economic liberal who shows an understanding of and a willingness to argue for free trade and welfare reform, two areas where the EU has failed to progress, with deadly consequences for Africa and Asia.
Do the current candidates fit the Bill? If any reader has ever heard of and thinks that Guy Verhofstadt, Jean-Claude Junckers, Wolfgang Schuessel or Chris Patten are promising candidates, stop reading now and go seek professional help.
The European Union has an opportunity to demonstrate that it will choose the next President of the Commission on merit. That is why these obscure clones from the European parasitical classes should be ignored. They should appoint an American, one person who is more liberal and more right than the current crop: Step forward:
William Jefferson Clinton
Perfect! He's not too anti-american, just about right. Not too corrupt and only a few character flaws. And the EU already loves him. Regards
Posted by EddieP at June 6, 2004 09:03 PM
Wasn't he supposed to be the president of Oxford university ?
Posted by Jacob at June 6, 2004 10:33 PM
You can't have him - Tony Blair wants to make him Warden of the Cinque Ports and live in Walmer Castle apparently......
How about SecGen of the UN? He can help them pack and move to Ulan Bator.....
Posted by Dave T at June 6, 2004 10:49 PM
Tony Blair as a future president of the USA? They'll have to pass a constitutional amemdment allowing non native born Americans to run, which will mean he'll be running against Schwarznegger.
Posted by Tim Hall at June 6, 2004 11:08 PM
Please make John Kerry President of the European Union. He can speak French plus he looks and acts French. But most importantly, he will do nothing except criticize America.
Posted by Jake at June 7, 2004 12:46 AM
Who should be the next president of the European Commission?
Who has the desired CV - Gorbachev.
Posted by D Anghelone at June 7, 2004 01:19 AM
How about David Spice né Beckham? I'm sick and tired of hearing the gossip about him every time I turn on the BBC World Service's sports reports.
Posted by Ted Schuerzinger at June 7, 2004 03:33 AM
Not Bill Clinton, it would be a shock to EU culture. Someone as right-wing and forthright in his public dealings could never operate in Brusssels.
If Al Gore could be persuaded to back-pedal his business-friendly attitudes, gloss over the military background, and play up the internationalism a bit, he has possibilities. Have to lose the posture and smart suits, though.
Posted by Guy Herbert at June 7, 2004 08:09 AM
Philip - Slow mo' car crash! That is Europe!
I'm with the posters who'd give it to Al Gore. After all, Europe's already going down the tubes.
The thing is, anyone who is qualified for this job would run a mile from it. Only self-admiring, tunnel-vision, preachy 10th raters with an abiding attachment to five-star restaurants would want the post, and an interest in holding it would immediately disqualify them. Actual effort to secure it should have them constrained immediately in a padded jacket with lots of straps.
Posted by Verity at June 7, 2004 11:40 AM
I wonder... Surely you're not saying that Bolkestein didn't do well? Lubbers is a different case, I'll admit. But with everyone looking a highprofile cases, why not some obscure Dutchman? Or a woman, for once? In that case I'd like to nominate two: Mrs Winnie Sorgdrager en Mrs Els Borst. Both were minister, mrs Borst was also vice-pm. Or if you must have a German: Angela Merkel.
Posted by A Dutchman at June 7, 2004 06:06 PM
I don't know why you're all obsessing to the point of ignoring the main issue: the notion of an appointed president is an obscenity. Someone imposed by the burrowed-in establishment should not be acceptable to the voters of Europe. But do the citizenries of the EU countries have any idea who going to choose this new president? Uh ...
Is there a citizen of any EU country who knows what is this president's remit? Or how to get the appointment stopped? No? Gosh. That's a surprise in the free and open warren-tunnelled EU structure! Does anyone know who's responsible for anything in the EU? Well, there's another surprise! Do they even know what department or building to try to get in touch with? Would they even bother trying?
And what is this monstrosity doing that national governments were not doing perfectly well, by cooperating with one another, before they were overlaid with this thick layer of impervious concrete?
Posted by Verity at June 7, 2004 06:18 PM
I never would have thought of it without your posting, but halfway through it, without even noticing the capital "B," I had thought of the same name.
Perfect. The man's not stupid; he's yet young, as politicians go; and circumstances (and his own character) cost him the uniqueness that would make future generations study him. "First person to be president of two really, really big countries" would be right down his alley.
He's got the left-liberal patter down pat, and could Communicate wonders. He's not all that bad at administration, but not wonderful at it; but President of the EU is more a schmoozing job than an administrative one -- that's what all the drones in Brussels are for. He even has an estranged wife and a taste for younger bits. Unfortunately he isn't eligible to be president of France... Great. Do it. He'll do you a wonderful job, I promise, and we won't have him looming like a moping Colossus over our internal politics. Win-win scenario!
Regards,
Ric
Posted by Ric Locke at June 8, 2004 02:35 AM
The technical term is not President it's Euro-Fuhrer for the second attempt in Europe at transnational socialism.
Posted by Rob Read at June 8, 2004 11:54 AM
