RIGA — Former Latvian President Vaira Vīķe-Freiberga will not find the presidency of the European Council an easy post to attain.
While she remains popular in Latvia, this did not help her previous attempt at a top-level international position in 2006, when her candidacy for United Nations General Secretary was thwarted after losing a straw poll of Security Council members to Ban Ki-Moon.
The battle for the top post of the EU promises to be tough, whenever it may start. So far 26 countries have ratified the Lisbon Treaty, which aims to overhaul the European Union’s governing bodies to make the bloc more effective. Only Czech Republic, with its euro-skeptic President Vaclav Klaus, has not approved the document. According to reports, Klaus wants Czech Republic to be exempt from the Charter of Fundamental Rights, part of the Lisbon Treaty. Officials from Sweden, which currently holds the rotating 6-month EU presidency, and who have made it their goal to have the Lisbon Treaty finalized, are currently negotiating with the Czech president.
The Lisbon Treaty must be approved before the new presidency position, which would replace the six-month rotating leadership position on the European Council with a two-and-a-half year position appointed by council members. The European Council is composed of the heads of state or government of each EU member.
Big-name opponents
Latvia’s “Iron Lady” will likely run against several famous European politicians. Several names have been mentioned as possible presidents of the 27-member union, including three former prime ministers — Britain’s Tony Blair, Finland’s Paavo Lipponen and Spain’s Felipe González. Meanwhile Luxembourg’s Premier Jean-Claude Juncker has already declared his candidacy for the post. Juncker slammed Blair’s qualifications for the job, saying the former British prime minister’s gung-ho stance on the invasion of Iraq and refusal to nudge Britain toward the eurozone were black marks on his resume. Like Blair, Vīķe-Freiberga is also a staunch Iraq War supporter.
Political analysts are skeptical about Vīķe-Freiberga’s chances. According to Andris Sprūds from Rīgas Stradiņa University thinks that theoretically she might have a chance.
“But the fight will be harsh. She will have to compete with Blair from Great Britain, Gonzales from Spain, but the most realistic candidate is Netherlands Prime Minister Jan Balkenende,” Sprūds told news portal TVnet. But according to Dace Akule, researcher from Centre for Public Policy Providus, the key point is that the candidate must be truly European. Akule told to Latvijas Radio that since Latvia is not a member of eurozone, Vīķe-Freiberga does not match on this point.
Although Vīķe-Freiberga has received numerous medals and honors from various European countries, so far only neighboring Lithuania is publicly supporting her candidacy. Another possible supporter is Margot Wallström, a European Commission vice president. Wallstrom has said that the new post should be taken by a woman.
Advantages: international experience, language knowledge
Vīķe-Freiberga, 71, is holding some cards of her own. Besides her popularity at home and respect from European governments, she was bestowed with the title of one of “Europe’s wise men” when she was included in the Reflection Group that was created to identify possible routes for the EU’s strategic development. She is a member of the European Council on Tolerance and Reconciliation.
Not unimportantly, Vīķe-Freiberga is also a superb communicator. Besides her native Latvian, she is fluent in French, German and English – the three dominant languages in the European Union – and also knows Spanish. In addition, she has spoken widely on women’s affairs, which will endear her to many Europeans.
— Baltic Reports reporter Didzis Melbiksis and editor Nathan Greenhalgh contributed to this article.
