Robinson touted as Söderman’s successor

Date: 18/07/02

By Martin Banks

MARY Robinson, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights and former Irish president, is strongly tipped to join the race to succeed Jacob Söderman as European Ombudsman.

Robinson is believed to be seriously considering standing for the job.

Another possible candidate is Greek former MEP Georgios Anastassopoulos.

One person certain to be fighting for the job is MEP Roy Perry, who was this week nominated by UK Conservative MEPs in a postal ballot.

He beat rival candidate Richard Balfe by 20 votes to 11 for the chance to take over Söderman's position.

Former university lecturer Perry, an MEP since 1994, has worked closely with Söderman in his role as deputy chairman of the Parliament's petitions committee.

A spokesman for the 59-year-old deputy said: 'He's very interested in the job. He feels he's got the experience for it and would do a good job.'

The Strasbourg-based Ombudsman is retiring next April, a month after his 65th birthday.

The Finn was due to stay in office until October 2004 but opted to leave early so that his successor could be named before the next election to the European Parliament in June 2004.

Robinson, 57, who leaves the UN in September, is the most high-profile politician mentioned so far as a possible candidate.

She is widely credited with having turned the office of High Commissioner for Human Rights into one of the most active departments within the UN.

An EU insider said: 'Her name is being consistently mentioned by people in the know. She is very well known and would be a popular choice.'

Anastassopoulos' candidature would also be intriguing.

A former vice-president of the European Parliament, he stood against Söderman in the last election for Ombudsman in 1999, narrowly losing out by 269-256 votes.

A list of the candidates will not be formally declared until after Söderman's job is advertised in the Official Journal in September.

Candidates will then appear before public hearings, organised by the committee on petitions.

Söderman's successor will then be selected by Parliament's 626 MEPs in a secret ballot at the end of the year.

• Söderman has called for the abolition of prior censorship of publications written by EU officials.

At present, EU civil servants must first get the permission of their superior before speaking to the media, addressing seminars and conferences and writing articles or books.

But, in a letter to Commission Vice-President Neil Kinnock, Söderman says it is time the rule should be scrapped. 'The abolition of censorship would create a more open atmosphere of trust and respect in the EU administration,' he says.

Mary Robinson, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights and former Irish president, is strongly tipped to join the race to succeed Jacob Söderman as European Ombudsman.