Sweden Closing In on Choice of First-Ever EU President

910 views · Published 16 November 2009 · 4:22 · Indexed 20 September 2026

Channel: Euractiv · 2009 · News & Politics

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Swedish European Affairs Minister Cecilia Malmstrom, walking in to a meeting of European foreign ministers tells journalists that she expects EU prime ministers and presidents will choose the first-ever permanent president of the European Union at their dinner meeting on Thursday evening. Among the unofficial candidates: Former UK Prime Minister Tony Blair, Luxembourg Prime Minister Jean-Claude Juncker, Belgian PM Van Rompuy, Dutch PM Balkenende, and several others. Sweden currently holds the rotating six-month presidency of the union, which puts their ministers and prime-minister in charge of the key EU meetings during the second half of 2009. Swedish Foreign Minister Carl Bildt is mentioned as a possible candidate for the post of European Foreign Minister.

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