President of Europe

Silvio Berlusconi’s fan Henry Porter has written a particularly stupid article in today’s Observer (my comments on it). This article has attracted a number of online comments, some of which definitely appear to have been written by people with functioning brains. I particularly like the one about the job of so-called President of Europe, posted by lib410 on 8 November at 1.55 pm:

As for the so-called President of Europe, the actual title is President of the European Council.

Here's the job description as set out in the Treaty of Lisbon:

The President of the European Council:
(a) shall chair it and drive forward its work;
(b) shall ensure the preparation and continuity of the work of the European Council in cooperation with the President of the Commission, and on the basis of the work of the General Affairs Council;
(c) shall endeavour to facilitate cohesion and consensus within the European Council;
(d) shall present a report to the European Parliament after each of the meetings of the European Council.

The President of the European Council shall, at his level and in that capacity, ensure the external representation of the Union on issues concerning its common foreign and security policy, without prejudice to the powers of the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy.

The President of the European Council shall not hold a national office.

Here's a list of things that the President of the European Council can't do (all of them are within the power of the US President):

Powers of the President of the European Council

Can sign or veto legislation? No
Commander-in-Chief of armed forces? No
Negotiates treaties with other states? No
Power to recognise governments and states? No
Can sign ?executive agreements? with other states? No
Head of the Executive Branch? No
Can appoint up to 8,000 employees? No
Appoints the EU Council? No
Appoints the EU Attorney General? NA ? no such position
Appoints Ambassadors? No
Nominates EU judges (including to the ECJ)? No
Executive privilege: can withhold information from the public on the grounds of ?national security?? No
Can grant pardons and reprieves to convicted criminals? No

Co-ordinates work of EU Council? Yes

Chairs Council meetings? Yes

Essentially the President of the European Council is a chairman who chairs meetings of the EU Prime Ministers.

That seems to dispose of that then!