«In addition, both candidates were merely acting as placeholders in their previous positions. The political career of the 62-year-old Herman Van Rompuy was already on the decline when, almost a year ago, he stepped in as interim prime minister to sort out the political chaos in Belgium. And the only reason that Ashton, 53, became the EU’s trade commissioner in 2008 was because her predecessor Peter Mandelson was desperately needed in London to save the Labour government. It’s no wonder, then, that the news disappointed many observers. The two new posts were originally intended to raise the EU’s international profile. Europe was supposed to gain new weight on the global stage and to exude unity and self-confidence. Instead, the bloc’s leaders have now chosen two nobodies to represent the EU. The new top duo will first have to struggle to raise their own profiles». Carsten Volkery.
