President of the European Commission

This is all changing with the approval of the Lisbon Treaty. The previous 'presidents' were more or less figureheads.

The first true 'President of Europe' looks like it might be Tony Blair.

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Even this office will not have the power of the US Presidency, at least for now.

 

Posted by our French friend Spear in another thread:

Though American I have been living in Europe since 1995. I live in one of the smaller states of Europe.

I would be very surprised if the 'President of Europe' was ever elected by a union wide popular vote. Already apportionment is the European Parliament is very complicated in trying to apportion representation 'fairly.' The concept of universal suffrage is not being established as foundational. Already representation is not equal. The larger states of Europe have fewer representatives per citizen than the smaller states. I can't see the rest of the EU allowing France, Germany, and the UK to rule the rest.

A popular vote election would mean that unless a candidate were British, German, or French he/she would have no chance of ever being President.

I would love to meet you. Your perspective as a European intrigues me. Looking back at the erosion of state powers in the US and seeing the same thing happening to the states of the EU is fascinating to me. It is like a chance to relive history as I hear the same arguments today in the EU that I read about in US history.

I don't know that the EU will ever have a president with the power of the US president. I am pretty certain it will not happen in my lifetime.