Italy’s tenure raises doubts over rotating EU presidency

European Union analysts believe the inconsistent leadership of Italy, which holds the EU's Presidency until the end of December 2003, has undermined the policy of rotating the job every six months. Steven Everts, foreign policy expert at the Centre for European Reform, argues that Silvio Berlusconi, Italy's President, highlights 'the flaws in the rotating presidency in attempts to project a coherent, consistent EU foreign policy'.