Anyone But Barroso

Alternatives?

with 13 comments

So we don’t want Barroso? So who do we want? There are a whole bunch of candidates that we think could do a better job than Barroso. Here, in no particular order, is a selection.

Pascal Lamy
Director General of the WTO, former European Commissioner, Lamy is communicative, bright, tough, organised and knows how the EU works.

Margot Wallström
The only member of the European Commission who genuinely believes in communicating with citizens and openness of the EU institutions. She’s also right to argue for gender balance in the top EU positions.

Guy Verhofstadt
Former Belgian PM, involved in EU matters for many years, a liberal committed to a strong role for the EU in the world.

David Miliband
Bright, young, dynamic and an excellent communicator – all the skills needed to be an excellent President of the European Commission.

Written by Jon

October 16th, 2008 at 10:39 pm

Posted in Uncategorized

13 Responses to 'Alternatives?'

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  1. And what about Juncker? Too “burn out” after the financial crisis and the controversy about the Head of State? Bad memories about the last Luxembourgian president?

    Alter Ego

    4 Dec 08 at 13:00

  2. I would also Jean-Claude Juncker: 53, former governor of the World Bank, current longest-serving head of the governement in the whole EU, great oratory skills, and Christian-Democratic (in the centre). For me, cleary the good deal for these tough days. And did I say he was exceptionnaly clever for a politician?

    erasoft

    5 Dec 08 at 3:34

  3. We need someone who can analyse why this Europe with and without crises has not worked.

    The only one who says something intelligent before and now is:

    Joschka Fischer

    gcortes

    7 Dec 08 at 19:42

  4. For me Fischer. Just read his 2000 conference in Berlin and you will understand.

    http://www.ena.lu/
    Speech by Joschka Fischer at the Humboldt University: “From Confederacy to Federation – Thoughts on the finality of European integration” (Berlin, 12 May 2000)

    spiegel

    7 Dec 08 at 20:01

  5. Et pourquoi pas Dominique Strauss-Kahn ? Certes, il a beaucoup à faire à la tête du FMI pour réorganiser le système financier et monétaire international dans le sens de la régulation, de la coordination des politiques de résistance à la crise, porter une conception du développement où les critères sociaux et environnementaux ont au moins autant d’importance que les critères strictement financiers.

    C’est depuis longtemps un adepte de courber la mondialisation plutôt que de se laisser dominer par elle. Partisan d’un juste échange, plutôt que d’un libre échange échevelé.

    Européen convaincu, il est polyglotte (Anglais, Allemand, Italien couramment et initié à de nombreuses autres langues comme l’arabe ou le castillan).

    Comme l’avait fait Jacques Delors avant lui, il a toute l’expérience pour faire passer à l’Europe un nouveau cap, d’approfondissement démocratique.

    Dans la période de crise actuelle, l’Europe manque cruellement d’une forme de gouvernement économique, menant une politique proactive, de prévention des risques, de gestion d’une relance socialement et environnementalement responsable.
    On ne peut laisser la banque centrale européenne seule sans contrepoids politique pour définir et mettre en œuvre les politiques économiques, sociales et une harmonisation fiscale.

    iker

    7 Dec 08 at 22:54

  6. I nominate Van Buitenen. He is a EU-reform oriented leader with high personal integrity and deep knowledge. I want a President who served as an MEP. And he is a former EU-Commission member with strong values, no assimilated technocrat or representative cloud talk friend. The right person to move the European project.

    Andre

    30 Dec 08 at 2:35

  7. What about Tony Blair?

    Tim H

    10 Jan 09 at 7:31

  8. What about Tony Blair? Or could Romano Prodi return to the job?

    Tim H

    10 Jan 09 at 7:35

  9. No british politician for European Commission Presidency, please. And Strauss-Kahn is certainly too much linked with his own country.
    Nowadays, probably Verhofstadt is the best choice.

    Serena

    23 Jan 09 at 16:39

  10. Milliband would never take the job – he has his sights on Labour leader then PM when Brown inevitably loses the next election.

    Wallstrom has no chance as she isn’t a member of the Swedish governing Party. Ditto Lamy and France. Verhofstadt may stand a chance though.

    Peter B

    26 Jan 09 at 18:17

  11. Well I have to say one thing: Rasmussen, Rasmussen, Rasmussen. If there will be someone else than Barroso at the EC this year, it’ll be a socialist, and if there is (surprisingly) a socialist at the head of the EC it will be Rasmussen. Good choice, too, if the PES finally had the courage to carry him forward…

    DamienRM

    28 Feb 09 at 14:04

  12. —Juncker or Fischer.
    —A socialist, or green party member, but not Labor.

    -No UK Labor politician is ethical enough for the post and BlIar is a war criminal, like Barroso.
    -Wallstrom has done NOTHING, but pay lip service to ´communication´ in the EU and has not helped bring citizens closer to the institutions at all, using her blog for pieces about her far-removed-from-people reality.
    -If Lamy was in the WTO, he´ll probably sell us out in a NY minute to big business. Even more.

    —Let´s get the UK Labor Party out of the PES!!! They belong with the EPP conservatives.

    denmadrid

    23 Mar 09 at 0:01

  13. A socialist, or a green party member.
    Fischer, Juncker

    Let´s get the UK Labor Party out of the PES!!! and with the conservative EPP where they belong. They are no more socialist or labor than the man in the moon.

    denmadrid

    23 Mar 09 at 0:07

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