EU Parliament weakens Barroso

The European Parliament has reacted critically to José Manuel Barroso's plans to serve a second term in office as President of the EU Commission. But postponing his nomination any longer "can only weaken the European Union", writes the business paper De Tijd: "The Parliament supports a strong European Commission. But at the same time it is demanding that the man who the 27 member states have unanimously proposed for the job should grovel before it. But the the paradoxical result of this attitude is to weaken Barroso's person, and consequently the image of Europe in the world. In addition the European Parliament has tackled the wrong foe. Not Barroso, but the member states are the ones gnawing away at Europe's strength by playing the national card. If the Parliament and the Commission fail to act in unison against the small-minded behaviour and the 'our industry first' attitude of Paris, Berlin and London, the pendulum will not fail to swing in the wrong direction, that of less Europe."

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