 European Union leaders try not to meddle in each others' domestic politics or take sides in national elections. | Only American and Middle East 'lections. |
For months, however, the bloc's key movers and shakers have been silently praying for the election of Nicolas Sarkozy. As their dream came true on Sunday night, key EU politicians including European Commission chief Jose Manuel Barroso and German Chancellor Angela Merkel rushed to heap praise on Sarkozy as the man destined to revive Europe's flagging fortunes.
Snipped out all the treacly BFF drivel
But there's more to their joy than party-politics. Both Merkel and Barroso are struggling hard to revive the EU constitution which was rejected by French and Dutch voters in summer 2005, plunging the bloc into an institutional crisis. Sarkozy's pro-European agenda and especially his preference for a so-called "mini-treaty" - salvaging key parts of the original 500 page draft constitution - is therefore music to their ears.
Both Merkel and Barroso are especially pleased that under Sarkozy's proposal, the scaled-down constitution would be ratified by the French parliament rather than through a risky public referendum. In fact, Sarkozy's plan fits in well with calls by British Prime Minister Tony Blair - and presumably his expected successor Gordon Brown - for an "amending treaty". The British have the support of the Dutch, Czechs, Swedes, and Poles. Despite differences on detail, there is a broad consensus that the new, streamlined treaty should provide for a fixed-term president rather than the current six-month rotation, a first-ever European "foreign minister" and a new system of qualified majority voting to allow for quicker decisions.
Merkel is hoping to get EU-wide agreement on a "road map" to revive the crippled constitution at the bloc's summit in June in Brussels. Germany has the EU presidency until July 1. The hope is that the treaty would enter into force in 2009, just before June elections to the European Parliament. | At which point those pesky, boring and expensive 'lections can be substituted for, um... something else. |
Not all parts of Sarkozy's agenda on Europe meet favour in Brussels, however. | That whole "friends with America" nonsense, f'r instance. |
During the election campaign, for instance, the president-elect did his share of Europe-bashing, saying the EU needed to do more for citizens and accusing Brussels of supporting unchecked free market economics. He also called on the European Central Bank to be more interventionist in favour of creating jobs and growth and claimed that the strong euro is harming French exports. Sarkozy's recent protectionist statements, in which he vowed to defend French companies against foreign takeovers, also caused dismay among some EU officials. | Pssst, Sarko: trade protectionism /= free market economics. Just so you know. |
EU diplomats are especially wary of Sarkozy's strong opposition to opening the bloc's doors to Turkey which he recently insisted was in "Asia Minor," not in Europe. Instead of EU membership for Turkey, Sarkozy favours Merkel's idea of a priveleged partnership with Ankara. | "Separate and quite nearly as equal" as a matter of fact. |
Turkey opened EU membership negotiations in October 25 and although the pace of the discussions have slowed down, many EU officials, including enlargement chief Olli Rehn, warn against giving Ankara the "wrong signal" on its entry prospects. EU accession is seen as vital for stability in Turkey - especially in view of current political divisions within the country - and for a continuing commitment by Ankara to political reform and improved human rights. |