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Sling Your Hook, Prodi - UK Minister
Britain's minister for Europe has told Romano Prodi that he should resign from his post as president of the European Commission.
The minister, Denis MacShane, will be familiar to EURSOC readers as the author of an irregular Guardian diary based on his adventures in Euro-wonderland.
One would think that a loyal Euro-Taliban like MacShane would have nothing but praise for Romano Prodi.
Evidently not. According to the Guardian today, MacShane complained that Prodi's interference in his native Italy's politics proves that he is
Not dedicated 100% to the questions of Europe, but who is instead seen as a leader of the opposition in exile.
Last month, Prodi published a paper advising Italy's left on how they should unite to defeat prime minister Silvio Berlusconi. He was widely criticised for the paper: The head of the European Commission is expected to remain aloof from national politics.
Prodi is also viewed as a 'lame duck' president because of his weakness and his apparent inability to contain fraud in the commission. Despite coming to power on a promise to defeat fraud, investigations show that numerous scams, most notably the Eurostat scandal, have continued under his watch. France and Germany's destruction of the Stability Pact, cornerstone of Eurozone economic policy, also cast a shadow on the commission, which appeared incapable of bringing the single currency's most powerful nations to book.
The Guardian adds that Prodi's position is made even shakier by the fact that he himself would desert it should Berlusconi call an election early next year. Prodi is seen as the Italian left's 'king across the water' and could not resist the opportunity to take on Berlusconi, who he loathes.
Europeans were strangely silent on MacShane's comments. In Britain, Tony Blair's office said that it was not UK policy to attack the president, though the Guardian reports that MacShane is basically repeating the PM's private views.
It was left to the Liberal Democrats foreign affairs spokesman Menzies Campbell to attack MacShane. Campbell, like most in his party, is an even more fanatical Euro-Taliban than Denis MacShane, and was infuriated by the minister's heresy:
This is the kind of megaphone diplomacy which gets Britain a bad name in Europe. I find it extremely surprising - as will Mr Prodi - that a British government minister should go on the record on an issue like this at this time.
Perhaps the EU will be able to think of a suitable punishment for MacShane for straying from the path of righteousness.
Extra: Italy might be the fourth largest country in the EU but EURSOC admits that is has been slack in covering its affairs.
Berlusconi came under the spotlight this summer when he described a German socialist who had been attacking him as a good candidate to play a concentration camp candidate in a film.
Western conservatives and libertarians are unsure of what to make of the Italian PM. Though anyone the Euro-Taliban hate so much must have some redeeming qualities, the scandal surrounding the man deters many from supporting him.
Nevertheless there is a widespread suspicion that Berlusconi would be preferable to the anti-american, anti-globalisation, anti-reform far left that seems to be the loudest opposition voice in the country.
For an excellent analysis of Italy's politics, including details of the Euro-media's assistance in Prodi's campaign, EURSOC recommends the Cose Turche weblog.
