THE “NATURAL”

Sweden’s Carl Bildt (EPP) is probably one of the strongest candidates for the job. He has solid experience in the Balkans and comes from a country that presents certain guarantees for this position: neither big nor small, a pioneer on European defence, particularly peacekeeping operations, not a NATO member but not far off either, and midway between East and West. Bildt presents two handicaps: he does not really speak French (a condition set by France) and the appointment of a fellow Scandinavian casts a shadow over his candidacy.

Carl Bildt was born in 1949 and became an MP in 1979, holding on to his seat until 2001. Leader of the Conservative Moderate Party (1986-1999), he served as prime minister of Sweden from 1991 to 1994, when the country was preparing for EU membership. When his party lost the elections, he switched to the international arena, and in particular South-East Europe. Named the European Union’s special envoy and then high representative for Bosnia and Herzegovina from 1995 to 1997, Bildt went on to serve as the UN secretary-general’s special envoy for the Balkans, from 1999 to 2001. An avowed Atlanticist, he has served on the board of Rand Corporation, one of the oldest and most important American think tanks.

THE EXPERIENCED

Currently NATO’s Secretary-General and former Foreign Minister in the Balkenende government, the Netherland’s Jaap de Hoop Scheffer (EPP) appears to be the logical successor to Javier Solana. However, his candidacy could also be interpreted as a loss of independence in EU foreign policy.

Born in 1948 in Amsterdam, Jaap de Hoop de Scheffer earned a law degree from Leiden University. He performed his military service in the Air Force (1974-1976) then joined the Foreign Ministry. He served as spokesman at the Dutch Embassy in Accra and went on to the Netherlands’ Permanent Delegation to NATO, where he was in charge of defence planning (1978-1980). De Hoop Scheffer was then appointed private secretary to four successive foreign ministers, including Van den Broek (who later became European commissioner). Elected as an MP, in June 1986, for the Christian Democratic Alliance (CDA), he sat in the foreign affairs, European affairs and defence committees and was named chairman of the parliamentary group in 1997. Jaap de Hoop Scheffer also contributed to debates by the Western European Union, drafting a report on the Gulf crisis in 1990. He speaks English fluently and is seriously studying French.

THE SURPRISE

The French government has not officially expressed an interest in this position, but at the same time it has not proposed its support for any other candidate. For French President Nicolas Sarkozy, diplomacy is a key area that “must not be left to a small country”. Other than Michel Barnier (EPP), who has been sounded out about taking the job, France may have another card in its hand, namely Bernard Kouchner (Socialist).

Brussels is familiar ground to Michel Barnier, who was regional policy commissioner from 1999 to 2004 and also in charge of constitutional reform. Born in 1951, he earned a degree from the Paris School of Business Administration and became active in the Gaullist party. Barnier was elected MP in 1978, then president of the Savoy General Council, in 1982. Environment minister (1993-1995) and European affairs minister (1995-1997) under Jacques Chirac, he then moved on to Brussels. As EU commissioner in charge of constitutional reform, he took part in the work of the European Convention. Barnier headed back to Paris, in 2004, to become foreign minister, but the negative outcome of the French referendum on the Constitutional Treaty put an end to this ministerial experience. Barnier later served as agriculture minister in the Fillon-Sarkozy government, in 2007, and is standing as head of list in the European elections for the UMP, the president’s party. He is expected to sit in the new European Parliament.

Bernard Kouchner has a number of strong points that could make him a convincing figure as high representative. An Atlanticist (he supported the US intervention in Iraq) with a commitment to humanitarian relief work, he has made a name for himself in international crisis management, particularly in Kosovo. In spite of his unshakeable impetuousness, he is also the oldest potential candidate. Kouchner has covered every corner of the political scene, from left to right: from his beginnings in the Communist student movement, he moved on to the Socialists in adulthood, before becoming foreign minister under Nicolas Sarkozy, a key position during the French EU Presidency and the war between Russia and Georgia, in summer 2008. Born in 1939 in Avignon, Kouchner studied medicine and joined the Red Cross. He took part in the creation of Médecins sans frontières and then Médecins du Monde and has campaigned for the right of interference. From 1988 to 2001, Kouchner held a number of ministerial positions (humanitarian action, health) in successive Socialist governments led by François Mitterrand. From 1999 to 2001, he served as UN high representative for Kosovo following NATO’s intervention in the former Serb province placed under international protection.

THE “POLITICAL” WOMAN

Greek Foreign Minister Dora Bakoyannis (EPP) is also chairperson-in-office of the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE). Bakoyannis was born in 1954 in Athens into a very political family: her father, Kostandinos Mitsotakis, was prime minister. She followed him into exile in Paris, in 1968, returning to Greece, in 1974, after the collapse of the military regime. Bakoyannis studied in Paris, Munich and Athens. She went into politics, in September 1989, after the assassination of her husband, a New Democracy MP, by the terrorist organisation known as ‘17 November’. Bakoyannis was elected MP and then mayor of Athens in 2002. A Europhile, she speaks Greek, French and German.