Who wants to become the president of the European Union?

Every six months a country of the European Union presides the Union, but today the members of the European Union want to elect a president of the EU for the first time.

Here are some of the candidates:

Herman Van Rompuy, the Belgian prime minister, a Christian Democrat.
He’s 62, an avid blogger. He knows how to take an even-handed approach to resolving conflicts between the Dutch and French-speaking communities, a skill that would serve him well if he secured the new top job!


Tony Blair, the former prime minister of the United Kingdom also casts for the European Union presidency which makes some noise in the UK : the Foreign Secretary David Miliband has explicitly backed him, while Prime Minister Gordon Brown is understood to be pushing his case behind the scenes. In Europe, he’s not really supported by leaders of European countries.




Jean-Claude Juncker, the Luxembourg prime minister, figuresin good position to become the European Union president too. Currently he’s described to be the only candidate who demonstrates an interest for this new role: « If I were called on, I would have no reason to refuse », he said. He forms part of the center-right, his extensive EU experience and status as Europe's longest-serving leader makes him a front-runner.

The Dutch Prime Minister, Jan-Peter Balkenende, could be a compromise candidate between Blair and Juncker. Even if Karel De Gucht, a former Belgian foreign minister compared him to Harry Potter, he has remained at the helm of four successive Dutch governments, and has boosted the role of the Netherlands on the world stage.

A woman is also attempting to get the post: the former president of Latvia Vaira Vike-Freiberga. She was the first female president of Latvia. She’s known as a staunch supporter of intervention in Iraq and Afghanistan. She is supported by Lithuania's foreign minister, Vygaudas Usackas who described her as: « a dynamic new face for Europe, with robust, strategic visions."


The former chancellor of Austria, Wolfgang Schuessel, is an outside bet, but as a conservative he could be well placed to win the support of EU leaders. Moreover it could be a chance for Austria who has never had a significant figure in the union. Mr Schuessel is parliamentary leader of his conservative People's Party. He may seem a dark horse in this presidential race, but could attract German support.

Felipe Gonzalez who spent 14 years as Spanish prime minister and made Spain join the European union is not a favourite politician to preside the union but his political weight through Spain and his EU experience could help him even if his political opinion could be a disadvantage for EU leaders.

Finally John Bruton, The former Irish prime minister and currently the EU ambassador to Washington. From 1994 to 1997 he made crucial decision to the Irish peace process. Of course his image of the « EU’s man in Washington » and his place of vice-president of the centre-right European People's Party give him recognition in the council and makes him a strong bet for the presidency.