EU: political support for Barroso AFP
Posted on June 18th, 2009 in Uncategorized
EU leaders are meeting today and tomorrow to support a second term of José Manuel Barroso to head the European Commission and give Ireland the assurances needed to organize a new referendum on the Treaty Lisbon. The 27 leaders were ready to renew for five years Mr Barroso, a conservative 53 years as President of the Commission.
While some, particularly in France, have criticized the former Portuguese prime minister late on responding to the economic crisis, it remains the only declared candidate. And it embodies the stability in the European Union hit by the economic crisis and institutional transition. Mr Barroso should get on top the “political support” of 27 for a second term, a prelude to its formal and final extension. The latter could happen in mid-July, if the new European Parliament – where political alliances are still in development – is well dubbed from its inaugural session.
Even Paris now seems like such a schedule after initially wanted to wait to confirm Mr Barroso, the fate of the Lisbon Treaty, Irish referendum suspended due in September or October.
To have every chance to pull a “yes” to the Irish, who had rejected it in June 2008, the leaders will also provide them at the top, in a legally binding document, it will not affect their military neutrality or prohibition of abortion. The 27 should not undertake to ratify these “guarantees”, not to reopen a debate on this dangerous treaty meant to make the EU more effective. In Great Britain, Gordon Brown weakening effect promotes Eurosceptics that could affect the ratification of the text.
In the Czech Republic, the very eurosceptic President Vaclav Klaus, who felt that the Irish guarantees justify to resubmit the treaty to a vote of the Czech Parliament, could further delay its signature to complete ratification in his country
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