by Angus M��Kinnon
BRUSSELS, March 17 (AFP)
The hunt for a new President of the European Commission got underway in earnest on Wednesday, a day after the powerful executive was forced to quit after damning criticism of its management.
Former Italian prime minister Romano Prodi, NATO chief Javier Solana and Portugal premier Antonio Guterres were among names being touted as possible successors to Jacques Santer, the current president who has been discredited by charges that his team lost control over fraud and nepotism in the EU bureacracy.
The European Parliament, which triggered the unprecedented institutional crisis by threatening to dismiss the commission, has made it clear that it expects Santer to go as quickly as possible so that the work of implementing far-reaching reforms to the way business is done in Brussels can begin under fresh leadership.
German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder, whose country currently holds the EU presidency, ruled out any future role for Santer.
In Vienna on a tour of European capitals ahead of next week�s Berlin EU summit, he also said that the crisis must be quickly resolved, but added that this may not happen in Berlin.
British Prime Minister Tony Blair has called for EU leaders to move quickly to appoint �a political heavyweight,� and give him a mandate to implement �root and branch� reform.
But Germany has made it clear that it wants all 20 commissioners, including Santer, to remain in office at least until after a crucial summit of EU leaders in Berlin next week.
The summit is due to conclude difficult negotiations on the reform of the EU�s budget and major policies. The commission is a central player in the complex discussions.
As a result, it was very much business as usual in Brussels on Wednesday with the 20 commissioners holding their weekly meeting as if nothing had changed.
Germany even hinted that this surreal situation could continue beyond the Berlin talks.
Bonn�s minister for European Affairs Gunther Verheugen said Wednesday it was �unlikely� that a successor to Santer would have been found and agreed upon by next week.
Santer himself has made it clear that he is extremely reluctant to swiftly depart the Brussels stage under a cloud over allegations that he regards as unfounded.
The timing of the commission�s resignation has left EU leaders with a major institutional headache.
By Wallace Kaufman
ALMATY, March 17
(The GLOBE)
Americans will greet the millenium with real choices in presidential candidates. Here is a quick survey of the field approaching the starting gate. More than two political parties will nominate candidates, but no third party has ever won or taken more than 20% of the vote in recent times. The Republicans and Democrats will nominate their candidates by the summer of 2000.
DEMOCRATS
Vice President Al Gore. Clinton�s loyal vice president who has enjoyed more power than any vice president in this century. He has staked a lot of his political life on identifying himself with liberal environmental causes�stronger government regulations, international agreements, and �green� technology. His opponents will attack the cost of his international programs, his willingness to give international organizations control over some decisions about the American economy and its environment, and his willingness to distort scientific research to support his causes. He is also likely to come under attack for proposing that government have the key to any computer encryption used by American citizens. Millions of computer users consider this a threat to their privacy. Gore will almost certainly be the Democratic nominee.
Senator Bill Bradley. Bradley first won fame as a basketball player. He was a solid Democratic Senator and has won admiration for being one of the few members of Congress who does not seek publicity. His political positions have been moderate, and his name is not attached to many laws. He could suffer from the lack of a clearly defined political program. On the other hand, Americans who disapprove of President Clinton�s personal life by over 60% may be ready for �a nice guy� and a good sport.
REPUBLICANS
Governor George Bush. George Bush, Jr., the popular governor of Texas and son of President George Bush, is one of the first Republicans to win a large percentage of votes from blacks and Hispanics. But he also has angered Republicans because he does not forcefully opposed using race as a criteria for hiring employees and admitting students to universities.
Elizabeth Dole. Dole is the wife of former candidate and Senate leader Bob Dole and she has held two cabinet positions�Labor and Transportation. She recently stepped down as head of the International Red Cross. She is famous for her ability to warm up a crowd or handle a television audience. As a Republican candidate she might win a lot of women�s votes that usually go to Democrats. She has never been tested as a candidate and her political positions are not yet clear.
Steve Forbes. In his 1996 attempt to win the Republican nomination Forbes became well known for his proposal to lower all national income tax to one figure�17%. He is also solidly against abortion and racial preferences in hiring. He is for privatizing at least part of America�s social security (government pension) system and reducing the size of the federal government. Forbes has a personal fortune to invest in his campaign, but he might also be attacked for using that fortune. (Being rich in America is a popular ambition, but not a popular condition.)
Senator John McCain. McCain is an American war hero who survived seven years in North Vietnam prison camps. As a Senator he has put his name on a popular bill to reform the way candidates raise money, but some consider that proposal naive and impractical. McCain is losing support among the most conservative Republicans who may control their party�s nominating process.
OTHERS
At least a dozen others in both parties are expected to announce their candidacy, but they are so poorly known among voters that their main influence will be on the public debate. This is especially true in the Republican Party. That Party�s most important choice will be whether to nominate a candidate like Forbes who puts conservative anti-government principles at the front of his campaign, or someone like George Bush who might be able to gain votes from groups that traditionally vote Democratic.
If the final race is between Gore or Bradley and a candidate like Dole or Bush, the race will be decided more on personality than on political programs. If the Republicans nominate Forbes (now far behind the favorites), Americans will have clear choices on issues like defense, foreign policy, taxes, and the environment.
Michail SERGEEV
ALMATY, 16th March
(THE GLOBE)
A soap opera of sorts has developed over the last two days concerning the actions of race car driver Michael Schumacher. The former champion has decided not to take part in the qualifying tests for his next race in Italy. What is the reason? Italian journalists speculate it is the premature birth of a stillborn son to Michael�s wife, Corinne.
Less informed, but more reliable sources have proposed their own variant. Michael sprained his ankle last Wednesday, while jogging in the suburbs of his own estate in Switzerland. And this is the reason for abolishment of tests in Fioriano on Friday and Saturday.
In any case Michael will not take part in the tests of the next few days. Schumacher�s press-attache has reassured reporters that the injury is not serious. Michael did not even consult a doctor. At the end of the week Schumacher will most probably travel to Jeres, and after that he is reported to be going to Barcelona, with Ferrari not far behind.
All Over the Globe is published by IPA House.
© 1998 IPA House. All Rights Reserved.