At his first press conference as EU President, Belgian Prime Minister Herman van Rompuy said that above all he wants to be discreet.

On Thursday evening, EU leaders needed relatively little time to agree on his appointment. The United Kingdom was initially opposed to his candidacy, but relented after UK European Trade Commissioner Catherine Ashton was offered the post of EU High Representative, the union's de fact foreign minister. United States President Barack Obama has welcomed Mr Van Rompuy's appointment, saying Europe would become an even stronger ally of the US. One of the reasons for creating an EU presidency was to give Europe a more recognisable face abroad.

In the Netherlands, Prime Minister Jan Peter Balkenende was quick to congratulate his Belgian counterpart on his appointment. He said Mr Van Rompuy was eminently suited for the position and that he was glad a period of speculation had come to an end. Mr Balkenende, whose name had also been mentioned as a potential EU president, said that in the past few weeks he had been occupied with other matters than the EU presidency.

In parliament the Socialist Party said that the prime minister had not lost face and could continue as before, but the conservative VVD and the democrat party D66 felt Mr Balkenende stature had been diminished. The populist Freedom Party called the prime minister 'a lame duck' and demanded early elections.   

Photo: EU president Herman van Rompuy and EU High Representative Christine Ashton (ANP)