Van Rompuy's election goes to show that bigger isn't always better

Putting to one side the controversy surrounding the mere existence of a EU president, the election of Belgian Prime Minister Mr Van Rompuy is undoubtedly an intriguing one. Critics argue that Mr Van Rompuy and Baroness Ashton, elected to the position of High Representative for Foreign Policy and Security, lack ambition. Even if they are not particularly ambitious, it can be argued that they will have ambition thrust upon them by their new responsibilities. Despite the various criticisms raised against Mr Van Rompuy, his election may well prevent potentially dangerous power struggles within the EU that may have resulted from the appointment of a strong political figure, supported by some but not all.

An interesting point raised by the BBC's Gavin Hewitt in his blog was that Angela Merkel believed Mr Van Rompuy to offer "consensus". Perhaps this was the main reason for his appointment. Critics may bemoan a lack of an established, strong leadership figure but it is questionable whether that was really what was required The furore around Tony Blair's candidature suggested that an established, 'strong' figure may be no more than a divisive hindrance to the EU. Mr Van Rompuy's relative anonymity within the minds and opinions of many observers could be one of the main reasons for his election, alongside his linguistic and mediation skills. It must also be remembered that Mr Van Rompuy has been the Belgian Prime Minister for nine months, which is an acceptable length of time considering the continuous political turmoil that has blighted the country over the past two years. He is by no means the novice some critics might portray him to be.

One could even go so far as to hope that this trend is continued with future EU Presidents. Though commentators such as Martin Kettle wish for a stronger political persona to eventually replace Mr Van Rompuy, it is possible that the political power and backgrounds of such figures may prove just as divisive as Tony Blair's candidature for this election. Consensus is the name of the game and as Chancellor Merkel pointed out, Mr Van Rompuy seems to have that covered.