Thursday 6 August 2009

Regarding the top EU posts under the Lisbon Treaty

For all those writing about speculations on the allocation of the top EU jobs under a possibly ratified Lisbon Treaty, I would like to point to the following declaration annexed to the Lisbon Treaty (i.e. to the final act of the Lisbon Intergovernmental Conference):
"6. Declaration on Article 15(5) and (6), Article 17(6) and (7) and Article 18 of the Treaty on European Union

In choosing the persons called upon to hold the offices of President of the European Council, President of the Commission and High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, due account is to be taken of the need to respect the geographical and demographic diversity of the Union and its Member States.
"
This pretty much rules out two persons of the same country/geographic region being among these three top posts - and also three males getting all the three jobs!

In my point of view, this also speaks against the re-election of Barroso before the Lisbon Treaty has been ratified, because member states would clearly limit their options for the other two top jobs by taking an early decision on Mr. B.

Now the speculations may continue...!

2 comments:

Filip Schwartz Kirkegaard said...

What exactly does it mean when the nominations should take account of "demographic diversity"?

Does it also include age diversity? Lets say they end up with Blair as EU president (56) and Barroso (53) as Commission president. Then I expect the "foreing minister" to be a young woman from eastern Europe. What about Elena Basescu, daughter of the romanian president? She would fit! ...on those two parameters

Julien Frisch said...

That's a good question, indeed.

I have no idea how this will be interpreted, but I suppose it is rather meant with respect to gender, although age could be a very interesting factor.

But if Ms Basescu would be a good choice... ;-)