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EU foes, proponents unite against Blair
February 11, 2008
By Elizabeth Eldridge - Some European activists have found their ideal
candidate for the first-ever de facto EU president: anybody but Tony
Blair.
Although it targets the former British prime minister, the Web effort
begun this month reflects more fundamental divisions across the 27-
nation bloc over the future of the European Union, the power of
Brussels and Britain's hot-and-cold relations with its continental
partners.
The divisions are so deep that Mr. Blair's opponents come from both
ends of the political spectrum, with both sup****ters of a stronger
union and Euro-skeptics denouncing his proposed candidacy.
The online movement went live Tuesday at www.stopblair.eu. It cites
Mr. Blair's allegiance to President Bush, sup****t of the Iraq
invasion, attacks on civil liberties and failure to adopt the euro and
other EU policies in Britain.
"In order to lead his country into war, Mr. Blair made systematic use
of fabricated evidence and the manipulation of information," according
to a petition on the Web site, published in nine languages.
The new post of "president of the European Council" -- the European
Union"s executive arm -- is set to open in January under the Reform
Treaty, a diluted version of the failed EU constitution.
The treaty signed by EU leaders in December is awaiting ratification
through referendum or parliament by the member states. The British
Parliament votes on it in March.
The success of the protest has not been determined. Under the new
treaty, 1 million signatures can start a "legislative initiative." The
petitioners have about 5,000.
Mr. Blair, who stepped down last summer after a decade in power, is
one of several candidates touted for the new position. His most
prominent sup****ter is French President Nicolas Sarkozy.
"There is no campaign and no campaign team. The treaty hasn't even
been ratified yet. Tony Blair is focused on his role in the Middle
East," said Matt Doyle, a spokesman for the former prime minister.
Mr. Blair is an envoy from the Quartet of peace negotiators,
consisting of the United States, the United Nations, Russia and the
European Union.
The debate over Mr. Blair's candidacy reflects the unresolved issues
for the European Union as a whole.
To some, the bloc represents a fledgling United States of Europe.
Others cringe at the potential loss of national sovereignty.
"The European Union should never have developed beyond being more than
a loose trading confederation of independent nation states. As an
institution, it is both corrupt and profoundly undemocratic and now
threatens the independence of the very countries it professes to
represent. It does not merit any kind of president at all, least of
all the utterly corrupt and self-seeking Mr. Blair," wrote petitioner
Richard Morgan from Britain.
On the other side of the divide, French petitioner Jean-Charles
Boutillion wrote that Mr. Blair is insufficiently committed to EU
ideals.
"The president of the European Union cannot be against its flag,
against its hymn, against its motto, against its currency, against its
[border policies], against a unified foreign policy," Mr. Boutillion
said.
The European Union"s identity crisis came to a head in 2005 with the
spectacular collapse of the proposed EU constitution, rejected by
French and Dutch voters in national referendums.
Under the latest treaty, EU officials are seeking a strong personality
to fill the president's role. They will meet in June to decide the
job's specifications and powers.
Britain remains divided over the issue of further integration with
Europe.
William Hague the shadow foreign minister and former leader of the
opposition Conservative Party in Britain said: "There shouldn't be a
president of Europe in any case. The EU should be run by countries,
not some central figure. Many Europeans think [Mr. Blair] did a poor
job of representing the EU to Britain, and most Britons certainly
think he did a very poor job of standing up for Britain in Europe."
Besides, Mr. Hague added, "Tony Blair's qualifications for the job are
not obvious."
Robert Oulds, director of the multiparty Euroskeptic Bruges Group,
accuses Mr. Blair of surrendering the British rebate against national
interest to curry favor with other EU leaders.
Before the rebate was dropped, Britain received billions of dollars
each year from the European Union to compensate for lost income
because of agricultural subsidies in continental Europe.
"What price we are paying for Tony Blair's ambition. He must not be
rewarded for his avarice," Mr. Oulds said.
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