By Martin Banks - 18th November 2009
We do feel that Robinson would make a top choice
Cross-party group of MEPs
A cross-party group of MEPs have called for former Irish president Mary Robinson for the role of EU president.
Robinson has already ruled herself out of the running but the 30-strong group say EU leaders meeting in Brussels on Thursday to discuss the post should urge her to "reconsider" her decision.
The deputies, from four political groups,make their demands in signed a declaration which will be delivered to the summit.
The declaration also condemns the "convulted and obscure" way in which the EU presidency post and that of high representative have been discussed in recent weeks.
Belgian PM Herman Van Rompuy is overwhelming favourite to be installed as president although there is great uncertainty as to who might be chosen for the high represenative post.
At a news conference in parliament on Wednesday, five of the 30 MEPs who signed the declaration - Rui Tavares,Sophia In´t Veld, Raül Romeva i Rueda, Ana Gomes and Jan Albrecht - said that Robinson should be the preferred choice.
The declaration said, "The selection process of a new permanent president of the council has been carried out in the most convoluted and osbcure of ways, outside of the view of European citizens and out of the sphere of public debate, even inside institutions such as parliament."
It said Thursday´s summit should "seriously consider" Robinson, a former High Commissioner of the UN for Human Rights.
"In our view, however, this is as much about the person as about the procedure.
"We do feel that Robinson would make a top choice, we note that her name has a strong appeal in the European public opinion and we think that a clear mandate from the European leaders would make her reconsider, especially since her stated interests on fighting climate change and helping developing countries would fit magnificently with a leadership role for Europe in the new post as EU president."
It says Robinson has the "necessary qualities for the performance of this office and that throughout her political life has on several occasions proved to have great skills of leadership, political coordination and consensus building.
It goes on to say that parliament has a "responsibility to act as an emissary of European civil society and a duty to promote discussion of ideas for the advancement of democracy in Europe."
Meanwhile, UK Tory MEP Tim Kirkhope, deputy leader of the ECR group, has cast doubt on van Rompuy´s suitability for the post.
It comes after the Belgian told a recent meeting of the influential Bilderberg Group that EU-wide taxes might be needed to support the expanding EU budget.
Kirkhope told this website that such remarks would "raise alarm" in many quarters.
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