The World

I have always been sceptical about the idea that Tony Blair is a plausible candidate for the presidency of the EU. Apart from the small snag that the job does not yet exist, it seems to me that the combination of bitterness over Iraq and Britain’s refusal to join the euro,  means that there will be too much opposition.

Still, Tony Barber reports in today’s paper that the idea has got a new lease of life. If Blair is eventually dragged reluctantly to the throne, he will have a lot to thank Nicolas Sarkozy for. As the FT notes today, Sarko’s hyper-active and effective presidency of the EU in the second half of 2008 has made the case for a “big-hitter” as president of Europe. Or, at least, somebody people have heard of. 

I think Sarkozy also did Blair a favour in another way. By inviting Gordon Brown to an emergency economic summit for euro-members, the French president broke with one of the big taboos in Brussels – the idea that since Britain has not joined the single European currency, it does not deserve a place at the top table. Sarko took a more pragmatic line. Britain is a big economy, Brown had something to contribute – why not invite him? But, by making this gesture, I think Sarkozy did quite a lot to re-integrate Britain into the heart of the EU – and so, indirectly, made it easier for there to be a British president of the Union.

Certainly, the EU could do worse than Blair. Another leading candidate for the putative presidency is often said to be Jean-Claude Juncker – the prime minister of Luxembourg. A Belgian king once said dismissively of his own country, “Petit pays, petit peuple” (Small country, small people). But Belgium ranks as a global superpower next to tiny Luxembourg.

Actually, I don’t have anything particularly against Luxembourg – it’s really Juncker I can’t stand. For some reason the man is regarded as a great sage and wit in Brussels. But he has always struck as insufferably smug, and wedded to the worst sort of outdated and anti-democratic Eurofederalism. Other than that, he’s a great guy.

So I don’t really care whether Blair becomes president of the EU or not. Just so long as it isn’t Juncker.