It must come as a considerable surprise to learn that Hermie is currently running unopposed for another 2.5 year term as the Grand Wazoo of the Council thingy. I think we can all agree that the EU has so many presidents that the term has become so over valued that grabbing a job title from a Frank Zappa album can not only be a huge step forward, but possibly the only thing that might get even a murmur of interest. Who knows, it might even make the position tempting.

Those 2.5 years ago, when all our troubles seemed so far away, was a different time, when a huge palace could be built to house the EU’s head honcho, although it wouldn’t be ready for a decade, but it would be suitably presidential, looking like a large testicle. 

Of course, back then in those heady days, when we were kings, the world was our lobster, we were going to be global players, bringing in a brave new world of solidarity, justice and unicorns for all. Our Prez was going to halt the traffic in the world’s capitals. 

Now look at us.

This is austerity, and with a huge upturn in unemployment, especially among the youth, we’re in a zone where a job stacking shelves in a supermarket can get 200 applications, a refuse collector over 500 people queuing up for an opportunity. Given, also, that we are a continent of hungry and ambitious politicians, it must stand out that nobody, nobody at all in interested in applying for one of the top jobs.

Why is this? Perhaps our would be political leaders have the inertia of a daytime TV guest, or is it just that the job is so awful nobody wants it. Even in these troubled times. Of course, there’s always the possibility that HVR is doing such a sterling job that he’s too hard an act to follow. I mention this as a mere technical possibility.

Of course, there is another Belgian politician with ambition, Guy Verhofstadt, who wants to be the next Commission president, and why not? Why should ALDE be permanently locked out of the top jobs by the two major groups. This does bring an interesting scenario where Belgians could hold the top posts. How long the union would survive is another issue, but these are European level politicians who see the national stage as just too tiny for their ambitions. Not for them the old art of shuffling the unwanted towards Brussels for a few years, before a graceful retirement with the lobby firm of your choice.

Perhaps the lack of interest in the top jobs shows that there is something seriously wrong at the heart of the European project. If we had a dynamic and vibrant union, there’d be a stampede for the various crowns on offer in the EU firmament. But our union isn’t vibrant, it isn’t dynamic. It’s dying.

If we can look at that, there might be some signs to a better future. The first one is that people just don’t love Europe. As the old line goes, “We have created Europe now we need to create Europeans.” This adds a sinister element of social engineering to the project, and there are more concerns. If the union can only offer austerity, it will wither away like a Greek pension.

But we can tell the health of the EU by looking at how attractive the austerity bustlingly paid top jobs are.

ACarling@NEurope.eu