EU chooses unknown for new top job

[DavidDvorkin]

Source: EU Observer

EU leaders have chosen Belgian Prime Minister Herman Van Rompuy to be the first president of the European Council, while UK trade commissioner Catherine Ashton will become the bloc's foreign policy chief.

Read more: http://euobserver.com/9/29024

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Ashton is a leftist, anyway.

[DavidDvorkin]

1. Merkel supposedly wanted an unknown for the top job

Someone who wouldn't eclipse her by becoming the highly visible face of Europe. She sees herself in that role.

She got her wish for now. She'll have it for the next 2.5 years, and possibly for the next 5. We'll see what happens after that. Will the EU feel that they need someone bigger in the presidency, or will they continue to choose apparatchiks?

[BelgianMadCow]

2. I know him :-) and yes indeed, he's pretty certain not to ruffle any feathers

He has always been a kind of tenacious backbencher with good knowledge of the issues. He has a low need of profiling himself, very little star quality as well.

His party (CD&V) has been in the leading coalition in Belgium for the better part of the last 50 years, and is a part of the largest bloc in the european parliament, the christian democratic one.

That makes him a nice consensus candidate, from the heart of the european union. (Brussels is in Belgium ;-))

Personally, I would have liked someone with a higher profile - there is a dire need for a stronger political european union, and that would be better served with a less "gray" candidate.

Still, I'm rather proud :D

[DavidDvorkin]

4. I wanted a big personality in there, too.

[DumpDavisHogg]

3. Another conservative

Where do people get the idea that the EU is such a big left-wing bastion?

[Stella_Artois]

5. Because compared to the US it is fairly left wing

Not massively so, but on average a European Convservative issue by issue would have more in common with a Democrat than a Republican.

[DavidDvorkin]

6. True. For that matter,

a European politician can safely call himself a socialist, and pandering to religion isn't a good way to get elected in (Western) Europe.

[BelgianMadCow]

7. Over half of the time, socialists together with christian democrats form the coalition

I'd say we're pretty far to the left, without all being commies :-)

Gay marriage is allowed, euthanasia is allowed, abortion is allowed (the last two with conditions). We have strong social security and powerful unions. For the time being though.

[Vidar]

8. He's not Blair!

[T_i_B]

10. Very true

Although I don't think I'm the only one who's never heard of Baroness Ashton.

[Vidar]

11. Neither have I. Not being Blair is enough.

[Divine Discontent]

9. we greet the new future king of the world! lol