Policy Research Media Morhamburn

Yesterday was the day that the leaders of the EU came together to make one of the most historic decisions of the Community. It was a decision they all knew they would need to make and one that would be subject to intense behind the scenes manoeuvring and today we have the first President of the EU. So how did the leaders get on with choosing the most senior figure in the power structure of a political union of nearly 500 million citizens?

Former UK Prime Minster and lead protagonist in the US-led invasion of Iraq, Tony Blair, was the early front-runner though in the final weeks his EU buddies were giving his candidacy the mother of all political body swerves. His biggest cheerleader in the end became Brown, and you cannot help but wonder whether the latter didn’t feel the smallest sense of schadenfreude in this turn of events. So instead we have ended up with the Belgian Prime Minister Herman Van Rompuy, the man who appeared to solve the 2007 – 2008 Belgian political crisis.

There has been intense discussion over the role for months, particularly heightened in recent weeks. Largely definition of the role has remained vague and in the end it was framed by personalities. Blair presented a presidential figure in all its resplendent glory; Van Rompuy portrayed the consensual chairman. In making their decision the leaders of the EU member states have clearly demonstrated what they expect from the position. But the question remains,  for me anyway, have they made the wrong decision?

Yes Blair brings with him a phenomenal amount of baggage ranging from criticisms of his own particular brand of politics to the furore surrounding WMD and allegations of illegal wars – so perhaps such a figure for the first President of the EU may have been unpalatable for some. However, he has the charisma, charm and that sense of ease that could have smoozed Europe all round the capitals of the world from Moscow to Washington to Beijing as gracefully as a waltz. Though in the end that was not what the Council opted for. Van Rompuy, the diplomat and negotiator, will build the cohesion and consensus that the EU leaders so desperately want; he will tread a steady course and no one needs to worry about any surprises.

But for me,  this was a golden opportunity that the EU has missed. A larger than life figure, though a daunting prospect to the leaders of the member states, would have firmly placed the EU as a unit onto the world political stage.