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The unelected supporting the unelectable?

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    #51
    The unelected supporting the unelectable?

    I tell you what, you'd be hard-pressed to tell Herman aand Ken Loach apart. I mean, go on:



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      #52
      The unelected supporting the unelectable?

      Wouldn't you say?

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        #53
        The unelected supporting the unelectable?

        Watching QT last night was the first time I heard during the day a positive and informed comment about the Belgian prime minister : he is a talented politician at the head of a very divided country. Which probably was as good a calling card to get the job as the fact he was not an egomaniac who stuck a huge wedge between his country and the EU by running with the US after every opportunity.

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          #54
          The unelected supporting the unelectable?

          Well, Blair stuck a huge wedge between his country and its government by doing that. He would have spoken for no-one.

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            #55
            The unelected supporting the unelectable?

            But think of the stopped traffic. Most of it stopped by demonstrators and security men, admittedly.

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              #56
              The unelected supporting the unelectable?

              Rather surprisingly, Matt Yglesias has been writing the most sensible commentary I've seen on this subject.

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                #57
                The unelected supporting the unelectable?

                I think he over-estimates Ashton's influence as trade commissioner, though. Yes, it is an important office (though I think that there is a general American-Anglo tendancy to over-emphasize the role of individuals in the EU policy process), but she held it for barely a year, only got it because Mandelson came back to London, and made very little impact during her time in the post.

                The question of whether Van Rompuy's appointment might re-open open political warfare on the Flemish/Walloon front is an interesting one, though.

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                  #58
                  The unelected supporting the unelectable?

                  To be fair to Matt, he doesn't say that she personally was very influential. He's just pointing out that she held one of the most influential jobs in the EU. And he's right. Trade policy is one of the few areas where the EU qua EU has a lot of power. It's also the area which brings the EU into conflict with other nations the most, so it's very relevant experience for the foreign policy job.

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                    #59
                    The unelected supporting the unelectable?

                    Weird. He's changed the post significantly in the last 20 minutes.

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