Exit Blair as France, Germany call EU shots
(BRUSSELS) - France and Germany will join forces to choose a new-look European Union's first big boss, President Nicolas Sarkozy said Friday, sweeping Tony Blair towards the Brussels exit.
The French head of state said he and German Chancellor Angela Merkel had agreed to back "the same candidate," adding that the pair shared the same "vision" for two new top jobs to be created under the Lisbon Treaty, and their favoured runners.
Confirmation that Berlin and Paris were collaborating on arguably the biggest appointment in the bloc's history came at an EU summit -- and in the wake of British Prime Minister Gordon Brown campaigning personally on behalf of Blair.
Brown's stance was slightly surreal, given Britain's traditionally ambiguous relationship with Europe, and ultimately unsuccessful -- not least with fellow European socialists.
Nevertheless, an intriguing twist in the tale could see Brown's Foreign Secretary, David Miliband, pull clear in the race for the second new post, that of EU foreign affairs supremo.
The Swedish EU presidency will "open consultations" on nominations "the day after the Czech president signs" the treaty, Luxembourg Prime Minister Jean-Claude Juncker said.
That declaration followed summit approval to give Czech President Vaclav Klaus the exemption, from a rights charter, without which his signature would not be forthcoming.
"I do not plan to impose any extra conditions," Klaus said in a statement.
Sarkozy, who said Lisbon could now enter force as early as December 1, would not reveal the identity of his and Merkel's preferred choice, but said Europe's George Washington, in reference to the founding US father, would need to be both "charismatic" and a "consensus-builder."
Without naming Blair, Sarkozy hinted at longstanding problems with a mooted but never declared candidacy.
"The names in the first wave are not necessarily the winners in the end," he said.
Ironically, Sarkozy was the first to suggest Blair as a contender -- although he backtracked a couple of weeks ago citing a "problem" over a lack of British engagement with core EU policies.
In defiance of Brown, Europe's socialists are instead targeting the foreign policy job, after Luxembourg Foreign Minister Jean Asselborn warned of "a link for the coming generation between George W. Bush and Tony Blair."
"If (Blair) cannot get the backing of the socialist group, being a Labour man himself, it's a very difficult situation," Danish Foreign Minister Per Stig Moller said Friday.
A poll out Friday showed that fewer than a third of Britons even want Blair -- who as premier gave unpopular backing to then US president George W. Bush on the Iraq war -- to assume the role.
While Miliband has ruled himself out running for the second job, recent remarks suggesting Europe should play a bigger global role have been interpreted as a sign that, while he would not play traitor to Brown's general election cause, the position holds genuine appeal.
Dutch leader Jan Peter Balkenende is not officially a candidate, but on Friday suggested that could change.
His deputy, Wouter Bos, articulated the feeling mid-sized football clubs know only too well when their manager is in line to be poached by premier league opposition.
"We would rather continue with the current team," Bos said, slightly wistfully.
Former Latvian head of state Vaira Vike-Freiberga, who would satisfy a lobby favouring a woman, and ex-Irish leader John Bruton are also declared runners, albeit with longer odds.
But the other name in the ring, Juncker, was said by one diplomat to have launched the political equivalent of a "suicide pact" by going up against Blair.
All eyes therefore, rest on Merkel.