NRC HANDELSBLAD: The name of the Dutch prime minister keeps coming up in speculation about who the next president of the European Commission will be. When asked, Jan Peter Balkenende says he needs to finish his job in The Hague.
A well-connected source in Brussels this week said that: "I hear from all corners that he is in a good position." The source added that Balkenende is himself interested in the prestigious post.
However, the Dutch prime minister called the appearance of his name "remarkable." He said, "I understand that his issue came up in an interview between Dutch journalists with my colleague [minister of finance and deputy prime minister] Wouter Bos."
Balkenende said that it would be good for Europe if the current president of the commission Jose Manuel Barroso could extend his tenure beyond the fall. >>> News staff | Friday, January 23, 2009
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