Belgian Prime Minister Herman van Rompuy was unanimously elected the first President of the European Union by the twenty-seven member states today in Brussels. The New York Times reports, "The Belgian prime minister, an economist who likes bowling duckpins and writing haiku, has earned respect for calming down ethnic tensions in Belgium in his 11 months as prime minister" The position of president is expected to begin January 1, 2010. Prime Minister van Rompuy beat former British Prime Minister Tony Blair for the new post.
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Hmm, several of my friends tell me this guy is a radical, wanting to ban national anthems. Time will tell and Euroskeptics are a to get a big boost or limp off into the sunset.
That was a mistake in my eyes! I don’t think that was a good bet for the EU. Bad bad bad! Some of my friends are European and they are soo estatic.
Hi Matt!!! How are you? Is Greenland a country? Everyone is saying it “govenmentally” got independent. Is it?
I guess the other two never investigated about Van Rompuy. I’d say don’t believe what friends said, they heard it from other friends or just read the Sun.
Please be critical, investigate before you post anything making you look as an ignorant.
a little more background on the guy:
http://www.reuters.com/article/rbssFinancialServicesAndRealEstateNews/idUSLI45257420091119
Don’t be confused.
This is by no means a parallel to the President of the US!
Hopefully it will remain an admin and ‘PR’ job.
European nations are not yet relegated to state status!
Van Rompuy a radical? He’s a christian democrat, which by European standards means centre right. He’s well known for his diplomatic skills. He was called back as a prime minister because of his nHigegotiating talent and because he belongs to that previous generation of politicians who have a national stature. Nope, no radical at all, believe me! But he’s deeply in favour of European federalism so if you read the english tabloid yes he will be portrayed as a communist!
We must acknowledge the enormous responsibility of Herman van Lompuy’s office and of the greater Europe he will head come January, 2010. Harman van Pompuy should be on our prayer lists. He will certainly be on mine.
Ticha Akuma