Schröder asks for a little presidential preference

Date: 02/11/00

The Germans are so worried about their lack of influence inside the European Commission that Chancellor Gerhard Schröder himself has been in touch with President Romano Prodi to ask for a bit of preferential treatment to help restore the balance.

It appears that Schröder is particularly keen for the new head of the economic and financial directorate-general to hold a German passport, although Entre Nous hears that the current head of the administration department Horst Reichenbach has been ruled out because of his links with the opposition Free Democratic Party.

In any case, haven't the Germans heard about Neil Kinnock's much-trumpeted new policy of handing out the top jobs on the basis of merit alone, without national fear or favour? No doubt a copy of Mr Kinnock's White Paper on reform published earlier this year has been whisked round to the German EU representation office by registered post.