The new European Commission will include skilful but rather bland politicians with José Manuel Barroso nevertheless remaining the brightest star in a lacklustre firmament, predicts Warsaw based weekly Wprost. France’s Michael Barnier is seen as a sure candidate for the position of Agriculture Commissioner. Germany will be represented by Günther Oettinger, arch-conservative and current Minister-President of the state of Baden-Württemberg. The German press sees this as symptomatic of Chancellor Merkel’s disparaging attitude to the EU. Oettinger, not a close associate, has been effectively “demoted” to Brussels. Following David Milliband’s withdrawal from the race, the post of High Representative is still up for grabs. “So far it’s only reading tea leaves,” muses Polish MEP Rafał Trzaskowski.
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