Should there be a European President?

Europe should have a full-time president, according to UK foreign secretary Jack Straw.

Currently, the presidency changes every six months, with each EU state taking a turn.

Mr Straw says he wants the heads of government of the EU to choose a full-time president who would serve for several years.

The idea was first suggested by France's President, Jacques Chirac. It is also backed by the leaders of Germany, Italy and Spain

But Conservative shadow foreign secretary Michael Ancram suggested Mr Straw was lining up a future position for Prime Minister Tony Blair as "president of the united states of Europe".

Do you think there should be a full-time European President? How should they be chosen? Who would you recommend for the role?

This debate is now closed. Read a selection of your comments below.

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Your reaction

An excellent way to create a sense of European identity for EU citizens

John, UK

A European president is an excellent way to create a sense of European identity for EU citizens, but only provided he/she is elected directly by the voters. Creating another position appointed by governments or the EU parliament will only increase the notion of bureaucracy in the EU ruling structures. Direct voting certainly creates disproportion between larger and smaller nations, but there are ways to overcome this - e.g. smaller states may get additional weighting of their votes.
John, UK

In such turbulent times, it's increasingly important to have a common European president. To stand up to other world powers we need to stand together.
M. Khan, UK

I think a president of Europe would be a great idea. I can just picture it now President Blair and the rest of the Crazy Gang imposing their policies on an unsuspecting European public. Sky high fuel prices, speed cameras and humps everywhere. New Euro-wide stealth taxes, and best of all dysfunctional public services. Why should Britain have all the fun?
Gary Burrows, Oldham, England

I think the EU should be careful not to turn the Union into a sovereign state, which may not be able to hold the pieces together because of diversity of opinions. We have a lesson to learn from the former Soviet Union.
Barikpemang, Nigeria

It's a European problem

Mark M. Newdick, US/UK

Two thoughts come to mind: (1) An EU president is elected and, immediately, 90% of Europe hates the person for not being of their ilk; or (2) The idea is abandoned and the EU carries out with the same inept bunch of political has-beens dishing out more of their bureaucratic socialist laws. Either way, it's a European problem, not a British one.
Mark M. Newdick, US/UK

Moving so fast towards a Politically United EU? I don't think we're anywhere near ready! It would be impossible to have a Europe of single aims, with such widely differing nations. Perhaps in twenty years, or so, when newcomers to the Union are settled - and we have all shared membership of the common currency for awhile! The idea may seem more credible then.
Caroline, Wilts, UK

I think that sticking to elected Commissioners, each responsible for a particular area is best. Electing a president would mean him sitting at the top of an already very complex system and basically only acting as a figurehead. I think that Commissioners, for example, Chris Patten or Romano Prodi (president of the Commission) already do enough to ensure that European policies are fair.
Laura Cohen, Belgium

We should have a single president, national anthem, flag, the lot.

Ben, EU

Yes we should have a directly elected president. It's high time we Europeans started looking forward as a united modern country rather than being split into hundreds of tiny backward looking countries. We should have a single president, national anthem, flag, the lot. Europe should be racially and culturally diverse but should also be united by one leader and joint aims.
Ben, England, UK, EU

Absolutely not. All European countries have their own leadership so why do we need one for the whole of Europe? Unless of course we are going towards a United States Of Europe, in which case I think the question would be more about British participation rather than a British President.
Steve, UK

The last thing we need is yet another tier of Euro-bureaucracy. No doubt the new president would come with a spanking new office, an "expenses" allowance that exceeds the GNP of a small African country and a ministry-full of advisers and assistants. And who pays for this? We do, of course, even though we already pay for politicians at local, national, MEP and EU Commissioner levels. Enough already!
Giles, England

No. We had one head of state between 1941 and 1945 for the following countries: Germany, Poland, Austria, Czechoslovakia, Belgium, Luxembourg, Denmark, Norway, Northern France, The Channel Islands, Ukraine, Byelorussia, The Baltic States. It didn't work then.
Chris Klein, UK

Perhaps an ambassador for Europe may be more appropriate

James Mant, England

Due to the diverse range of states within Europe and their different opinions and approaches to issues it is difficult to see what role a president will play. Perhaps an ambassador for Europe may be more appropriate promoting trade with other countries and being a figure to unite European countries in dealing with international issues such as third world debt or aid to where the combined European approach is needed to make a difference.
James Mant, England

The EU needs a president in order to move the coalitions of countries forward with purpose and , most importantly, with a single voice. As we have seen over the last few months one of the greatest gifts the EU can give the world is a counterbalance to the might of the US. Individually, the countries have little leverage when it comes to world dealings or economy, meaning that there is no direct opposition to the might of the US. A president would give us one clear figurehead to lead us down that path
Dan , UK

I think any President should come from the European Parliament's ranks. The European Parliament is an already established Europe-wide system and it makes more sense for a leader to come from there rather than from the old boys network of the heads of state.

Remember, what is put in place now will likely remain in place when the EU does in time become a genuine single federal state, so it is vital it is done right now.
David Patrick, UK

A permanent EU President will only lead to further centralisation and bureaucracy.

James Wild, UK

The whole concept is wrong. As someone once said 'mass democracy is an oxymoron'. We shouldn't idolise European unity merely because of some 'big is better' mentality. We should rediscover smallness and start bringing about localisation. A permanent EU President will only lead to further centralisation and bureaucracy. This is the opposite of devolution and real democracy. We will regret it one day.
James Wild, UK

We do need a long term president, at the moment I don't know who is president and I don't know what it entitles them to do, an elected president with a four year term would certainly increase my interest in the EU in general.
Michael Pearce, UK

Yes there should be a European President but not one elected by heads of state. The President needs to be directly elected by the people of Europe. That way the interests of Europeans could be put ahead of those of individual countries. In economic terms, Europe could be much more powerful than the sum of its parts.
Alcuin, UK

I think a figure-head President of the EU would help unite Europeans and create a sense of shared identity. To achieve this, the President would need to be someone inspirational and widely admired, and this would rule out some career politicians. Unfortunately Nelson Mandela, Aung San Suu Kyi and Queen Rania aren't EU nationals as all would make excellent role models and leaders. I think Tony Blair would do a pretty good job, but I'm not sure everyone would unite behind him.
Catherine, UK

Each citizen would most likely vote for their national candidate

John FitzHarris, Ireland

I think that the concept of an European President is a good idea however there are problems. Firstly would he be a directly elected President? And how would that election be done, first-past-the-post, France's two round system, Ireland's proportional system, or maybe an electoral college system like USA. However, the idea of a directly elected President means that each citizen would most likely vote for their national candidate instead of their ideological one which would not be desirable. As a temporary measure the President could be elected by the Council of Ministers with the approval of the European Parliament until such time as a directly elected President is feasible.
Jason FitzHarris, Ireland

A fully elected and democratically accountable to the people of Europe president? What's wrong with that? Of course the 'land of hope and glory' mob will object if any president isn't white and English. After all we wouldn't want a jonny foreigner to get the job would we?
Rhiannon, UK

To Rhiannon: It's nice to see a tolerant and unstereotypical view of the British. Or is it deemed un-bigoted to critisise the British in this way?

I think the idea of a non-EU national holding the post will be the best idea. Then we can get over prejudices of both sides (both Brits and Brit-bashers) and have a position free of national favouritism.
Andrew, England

The EU might be advised to think twice about going down the Presidential path - Tony Blair is bad enough as PM with his presidential style of rule over the UK. If we gave him any more power than he already has he would be a serious danger to Global Security - we only have to see his dealings with the Iraqi question to see that he would use his powers for his own ends. We should keep the status quo for the time being.
Mike, UK

The last thing the world needs is another ultra-powerful politician

David Hazel, UK

I wonder which model of a Presidency Mr. Straw has in mind? Would it be the American and French model, in which the President has political control and power, or the model used in a few other European countries (Ireland, Germany, Austria, Italy and a few others), where the President is just a figurehead (a sort of elected Monarch, with similar powers, or lack thereof, to our Queen)? I think I would support the idea of the latter style of Presidency, but not the former. The last thing the world needs is another ultra-powerful politician who would just end up locking horns with all the other megalomaniacs who pass for world leaders.
David Hazel, UK

Yes, Europe should have its own president. It should be me.
Chris Hollett, UK