9 Responses to Blair not a realistic option for EU president »»

1. Simon Dyda
   Comment by Simon Dyda | 2009/10/07 at 08:39:21

   Everybody in the EU knows who Blair is. EVERYBODY. No other candidate can make that claim.

   As president Blair will immediately engage public interest in the EU, whether it be because they love him or loathe him. No other candidate will.

   The alternative is more eurobscurity.

2. Despo
   Comment by Despo | 2009/10/07 at 13:01:42

   Yes, Simon, but everybody in the EU hates Tony Blair. Ok, maybe there are a few naive innocents who still think he is ok, but overall the overwhelming majority of people in Britain, the overwhelming majority of people in Europe and the overwhelming majority of people in the world HATE Tony Blair.

   And since everybody knows him and the overwhelming majority dislikes him, Blair would make a very bad symbol for the European Union.

   What is the big deal with having to be known by everybody, anyway? Only a couple of years ago few people knew who Barack Obama. The post of President of the EU Council doesn’t need a “star” and it’s remit is not global policy, but organising and overseeing the work of the new EU Council.

3. Svetoslav Apostolov
   Comment by Svetoslav Apostolov | 2009/10/07 at 13:51:51

   It does not matter who will be appointed the EU President. What matters is that s/he will be a “consensus candidate” of the kind that Mr Barroso was 5 years ago when appointed President of the European Commission.

   What in the Eurocrat’s language means NOT that the chosen one will be the best professional in his/her field of expertise with a personal opinion and the guts to stand behind this opinion but that s/he will be so faceless and servile that no party will object to his/her candidature.

4. scott
   Comment by scott | 2009/10/07 at 15:18:10

   Does Blair really have no greater merit than the fact that people know who he is? That seems like a very poor reason to become president…

5. petros
   Comment by petros | 2009/10/08 at 11:19:27

   ABB = any one but blair

6. Ronald Grünebaum
   Comment by Ronald Grünebaum | 2009/10/09 at 16:37:09

   Simon,

   everybody knows Claudia Schiffer. Thinking of it she may actually be a better choice than Blair.

7. Carol Horner
   Comment by Carol Horner | 2009/10/12 at 13:04:05

   The list of individuals is not as sacrosanct as the writers and correspondents would assume to be the case.

   What is needed is a forthright character and preferentially one with the credentials to present a positive case for All. We cannot have people from Countries that might decide to pull out of the European Union after the next General Election (as the Conservative Party in the UK will have it do, as the consequences will be dire for the UK which at a stroke will involve a mass exodus of money and investment away from the UK to the EU) but to have a real Leader who is for all that is good.

   In that therefore the listmisses out and the Candidate that best fits the bill is Dora Bakoyannis the former Foreign Minister of the Hellenic Republic (Greece.) There is no better person than Dora and she would be ideal.

8. HansM
   Comment by HansM | 2009/10/13 at 08:42:00

   Ronald,

   I think Simon meant “a politician” that everyone knows. I think Berlusconi would fulfill that requirement quite appropriately.

9. jon walsh
   Comment by jon walsh | 2009/10/14 at 11:31:19

   Blair and his grasping wife simply follow the cash. In view of the unaccountability of EU personnel regarding expenses and freeloading they would fit in admirably, ie loads of cash for very few worthy achievements.
   Let him in at your peril!

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