Who is Herman Van Rompuy. This is a name that many around the world and even around Europe don't know. However, the little known Belgian Prime Minister Herman Van Rompuy was chosen today by the leaders of the EU member countries to be the first European Union President. He will be the first full time President of the European Council. British Catherine Ashton will be the first EU Foreign Policy chief.
It seems that the the Plan B of British PM Gordon Brown has worked. UK was successful in securing one of the top EU jobs as former PM Tony Blair was out as a favorite candidate for the presidency of European Council. Today in Brussels Baroness Ashton had been appointed as the first High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy.
Herman Van Rompuy is a trained economist. He has been running Belgium for less than a year and now he is the first president of the European Council. Some say that his short term in Belgian office as country's Prime Minister worked in his advantage. At some point Tony Blair was the favorite for the top EU post. However, several weeks ago Germany and France agreed to back him for the post and here we go. Today Mr. Rompuy is the first president of the European Council. This is a provision envisioned by the Lisbon Treaty.
Catherine Ashton's appointment as the head of the EU foreign policy confirmed the earlier expectations that one of the posts will be occupied by a female candidate. She emerged later in the race after the favorite for the post British Foreign Secretary David Milliband, having an eye on UK's domestic politics said he was not interested in the top EU foreign position succeeding Javier Solana. Solana has been in a similar position for nearly 15 years.
According to EU Observer "Ms Ashton, trade commissioner since October last year, has no foreign policy experience and has never held a senior ministerial post."
Herman Van Rompuy Biography from Wikipedia
Herman Van Rompuy, born October 31, 1947 in Etterbeek) is a Belgian Flemish politician and member of the CD&V (formerly called CVP). He is the current Prime Minister of Belgium, succeeding Yves Leterme and the first President-in-Office of the European Council [2].
Van Rompuy was the Vice President of the CVP Youth from 1973 to 1975, from 1978 onward, he was a member of the National Bureau of the CVP, from 1975 to 1980 he worked in the ministerial cabinets of Leo Tindemans and Gaston Geens and from 1988 to 1993 he was the President of the CVP. He also was Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Budget from September 1993 to July 1999. After his party's defeat in the 1999 Belgian general election, he became a member of the Chamber of Representatives. In 2004, he was designated Minister of State.
On July 12, 2007, Van Rompuy was elected as the President of the Chamber of Representatives.
His younger brother, Eric Van Rompuy, is also a politician for the CD&V and was a minister in the Flemish Government from 1995 to 1999 and his sister, Christine Van Rompuy, is member of the Workers Party of Belgium. He is a long time supporter of football club RSC Anderlecht.
Written by Armen Hareyan
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