The new EU constitution - oh sorry, I mean the amending treaty. There has been surprisingly little comment about the abolition of the rotating European Council presidency and its replacement by a full-time president whose period in office will stretch to 30 months. So future Councils will no longer be presided over by the likes of Frau Merkel, at least when the amended treaty is duly ratified by the Member States. Given that this process is likely to take a year or two, there is probably no rush to appoint this new (semi-) permanent president.
Candidates for the post? Tony Blair, of course, though I cannot see Mr Brown looking upon such a proposition with any degree of sympathy. Jacques Chirac? Mr Sarkozy ditto. Oh well, what about that sensitive flower, Silvio Berlusconi - you must be joking! My bet would be on former Spanish premier, Mr Aznar. But a lot of water is likely to flow under the bridge before any appointment is agreed.
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