Rompuy Pumpuy becomes President of the European Council.

Some people seem to be of the opinion that Van Rompuy will hold the same sway over Europe as Obama does over America, which is what we get for having newspapers so illiterate — or perhaps even purposely lying on matters to do with the EU.

He is a Chairman (or spokesperson) for the collective leaders of the EU member countries (the Council), and will have virtually no influence over policy. Hell, he already sits on the Council as PM of Belgium.

Very little will change. In the grand scheme of things, this is relatively minor — the fact that it is splashed across newspapers doesn’t change that.

For Belgium however it could be a return to worse times.  Think of those who may have to endure yet another period of political instability while a new prime minister is chosen. There is the known 2008 crisis, and in the last six years relatively little stability for the country echoed by the polls carried in Belgium.

But in the end the leaders sitting in the Council (and the public) didn’t want somebody to impose their will on the leaders of the member states, which could be a wise decision. If  a high profile candidate like Blair were to have got the position, it would have only served to have set Eurosceptic flame in the Conservative Party — and with an emerging consensus around the issue of the EU with the forming of the ECR something the Europhiles like myself amongst us cannot risk fanning, for now at least.

Just to make sure this is clear, I have prepared him a brief speech:

“Delegates, Members of Parliament, ladies and gentlemen, peoples of Europe. Let me begin by stating I am not Tony Blair. I hope to continue not to be Tony Blair, and I assume this dignity with the firm intent, to work with you, on behalf of Europe and the world, in creating a European Union based upon the principles of freedom, justice, community, and the absence of Tony Blair. Thank you.”