The EU’s first President, Herman van Rompuy, officially took office today as the bloc’s reforming Lisbon Treaty entered into force, the Daily Telegraph reports.
Baroness Catherine Ashton at the same time became the European Union’s foreign policy chief – a post dubbed “EU foreign minister”.
The 27 EU heads of state and government chose van Rompuy, who was the serving Belgian Prime Minister, for the top jobs at a summit this month after much behind-the-scenes horse-trading. The …

Belgian Prime Minister Herman van Rompuy, a little-know federalist, has been elected European Union’s first President by the member states of the Union.
According to the Daily Telegraph, van Rompuy is a poetry-writing economist almost entirely unknown outside Belgium until he emerged as EU leaders’ choice for a President who could not possibly overshadow national leaders.
A staunch advocate of European integration, he has backed policies including a European-wide tax on all financial transactions to fund EU …

Former Prime Minister Tony Blair tonight bowed out of the race to become the first President of the European Council when it became clear that centre-right leaders, who dominate the EU, are determined that the post should go to their group, the Guardian reports.
Prime Minister Gordon Brown abandoned his support for Blair shortly before a dinner of EU leaders at an emergency summit in Brussels tonight, but he appears likely to secure for his former …

European Union leaders will gather in Brussels today to select their first full-time president and foreign affairs high representative, the BBC reports.
The heads of the 27 EU member nations are divided over which candidates to choose, and after-dinner negotiations are expected to last into the night.
Former UK prime minister Tony Blair had been an early favourite for president, but France and Germany look set to back a less prominent figure, the Belgian Prime Minister Herman …

To my surprise, the readers of The Empire Chronicles have voted former Prime Minister Tony Blair as their favourite candidate for the EU presidency, despite the fact that his chances to nail the post are slimmer than ever.
42 per cent of the respondents – 620 people – said that Blair would be the best candidate to become the European Union’s first President. Former Czech President Vaclav Havel came in second with 22% support – 329 …

Latvia and Finland are theoretically prepared to support Estonian President Toomas Hendrik Ilves for the President of the European Union, Estonian media reports.
Latvian Prime Minister Valdis Dombrovskis said that Ilves is an honourable candidate for the unelected EU presidency.
Finnish Prime Minister Matti Vanhanen said today that Finland is ready to support Ilves as the EU President.

French President Nicolas Sarkozy dealt a heavy blow to ex-Prime Minister Tony Blair’s hopes of becoming European Union president by withdrawing support for his candidacy, the Daily Telegraph reports.
The French move, at an EU summit in Brussels, confirmed Foreign Secretary David Miliband as the British politician with the best chance of getting one of the new European jobs that will be created with the passing of the Lisbon Treaty later this month.
Miliband’s prospects were further strengthened …

According to a poll, fewer than one in three voters want ex-Prime Minister Tony Blair to be the President of the European Union, the Daily Telegraph reports.
The Daily Telegraph poll shows that British voters are also far from convinced Mr Blair’s candidacy. Only 31 per cent of voters want to see him become president of the European Council. Another 31 per cent are opposed, and 38 per cent said they are undecided.
The lack of overwhelming domestic …

Conservative leader David Cameron has issued his strongest statement against ex-Prime Minister Tony Blair becoming European Union president, saying the last thing Europe needs is the “all-acting” former prime minister at its head, the Daily Telegraph reports.
Cameron said that he was squarely against the role of President, however he added if there had to be one it should not be “El Presidente Blair”. Instead the role should be taken by someone who was a chairman rather …

Former Prime Minister Tony Blair could be crowned first President of Europe at a special summit of EU leaders next month, the Daily Mail reports.
Diplomatic sources say French President Nicolas Sarkozy is pushing for an extraordinary meeting in Brussels to install Blair in the new £275,000-a-year post. Supporters of Blair’s candidacy are racing to get a deal stitched up as doubts grow about whether the forthcoming inquiry into the Iraq war could prove a major stumbling …

A large majority of voters send a powerful message to Conservative leader David Cameron today by demanding a referendum on the Lisbon Treaty if the Conservatives win the next election, the Sunday Telegraph reports.
Seventy per cent of those questioned in an ICM opinion poll for the Sunday Telegraph want a vote even if the treaty, which would establish a president and foreign minister for the EU and see a swathe of powers transferred to Brussels, …

Ireland agreed today to re-run the referendum on Lisbon Treaty that was rejected in the country a year ago.
Irish voters will be asked to try again in early October, after a series of legal guarantees stating that the treaty will not change Ireland’s taxation, abortion laws or military neutrality were agreed by the 27 EU leaders at their summit in Brussels, the Times reports.
EU leaders now hope that the Treaty will come into force in …