Choosing an EU president, after years of contemplation, should be easy. Should.

Update: EU leaders have chosen Belgian Prime Minister Herman van Rompuy for the position of president and Britain's Catherine Ashton as foreign affairs chief, Reuters reports.

The European Union has been talking for many years about creating a position for an "EU president," a singular human being rather than the six-month rotating presidencies held by member states. Now full ratification of the Lisbon Treaty has made the post — along with a "high representative" who'll function as a foreign minister.

One might think the years of contemplation would have given EU leaders enough time to decide who they'd like to see as their first president, or at least what kind of person they'd like him or her to be.

Not a chance.

The current EU president under the old system, Swedish Prime Minister Fredrik Reinfeldt, is responsible for finding a consensus candidate. He thought he'd be able to find one by now, so he set a decision-making dinner for Thursday night.

But Reinfeldt's many hours on the phone to 26 other governments over the last weeks has failed to produce agreement. He heads into tonight's summit meeting determined to emerge victorious.

“It might take a few hours — it might take all night," Reinfeldt acknowledged last night before yet another round of phone calls.

Early front runner Tony Blair, a former British prime minister, is the best known contender but that very quality is one of the reasons he’s now considered a long shot, as other heads of state don’t want to be upstaged.

Now the most likely pick is Belgian Prime Minister Herman van Rompuy… who isn’t expected to... umm, cause that kind of a problem.

But it's far from certain that van Rompuy can win everyone's vote. Women are furious that no female candidate is being seriously discussed.

Reinfeldt is threatening to use another Lisbon tool — decision-making without unanimity.

In any case, the ever-practical Swedes have made arrangements for breakfast — possibly even lunch — to be delivered to the summit site tomorrow morning.
 

http://www.globalpost.com/notebook/europe/091119/choosing-eu-president-after-years-contemplation-should-be-easy-should