Black clouds over Lady Ashton

Black clouds are gathering over Ms Ashton. I have written many times about the feeling of insufficiency caused by her service and herself. This tendency is growing. There are the more and more influential commentators and think-thanks in Brussels who say loudly about it.  Recently The Economist has joined this circle. They propose nothing less or more than a "Berlusconi option" for Lady Ashton. This is like forcing an incumbent politician to resign during his/her term of office.

You could create a long list of reproaches, but something's up. Not only in the media.

The heads of major countries, confronted with the EU's impotence in economic affairs, would be willing to throw someone to the lions (public opinion). Lady Ashton perfectly suits for this role because the government that supported her candidacy does not exist anymore and she has not built any political background for herself. She obtained the post as a European Socialist and there is currently no strong candidate from the same option. But... the Socialists have recently occupied the position of the President of the European Parliament.

In this context, there are two names that are being mentioned: Carl Bildt, Swedish Minister of Foreign Affairs, and Radek Sikorski (Polish MFA). The latter, in fact, has a problem defining his approach toward Germany (leadership or hegemony) but he is one of the longest-serving incumbent Foreign Ministers. It is also obvious that in Poland he does not have any interesting self-development opportunities.

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