By Martin Banks - 17th June 2009
This no reflection whatsoever on Graham Watson
Pat Cox
Pat Cox, a former president of parliament, has played down the chances of his party colleague Graham Watson landing the assembly's top job.
Irishman Cox says it is "unlikely" Watson will be elected to the post, currently occupied by German centre-right deputy Hans-Gert Pöttering.
He said that "on the balance of probabilities" the current arrangement to share the job between the two biggest groups, the EPP and PES, will continue.
"This is no reflection whatsoever on Graham Watson who knows parliament and the conference of presidents very well and is a very good linguist," said Cox. "He has also been a very good ALDE leader and can be justifiably proud of his record.
"Rather, this is all about numbers, specificaly, the number of MEPs who can be mustered to support a Watson presidency.
"I would to see Graham have a serious attempt at becoming president and he certainly ticks all the boxes. But, on the balance of probabilities, the EPP-PES deal is likely to reassert itself."
The two leading candidates for the five-year post are PES group leader Martin Schulz and ex-Polish PM Jerzy Buzek.
Cox, speaking to this website, also refused to be drawn on growing speculation that he is being lined up to replace Charlie McCreevy as Ireland's next EU commissioner.
He said, "I am told that Irish bookmakers are taking bets on this and are offering reasonably short odds on my prospects.
"I have been asked the question several times but wish to stress I am the subject of the speculation, not the author of it.
"I must stress I have had no contact, formally or otherwise, from the Irish government. This is not false modesty but, when it comes to the this, I have absolutely no sense of expectation."
Cox, currently president of the European Movement, was a popular president of parliament from 2002 and is a former ALDE group leader.
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