The most high-profile job in the European Union is up for grabs this week, though so far only one man described as mediocre and weak is in the running.

Thanks largely to the absence of a strong challenger, José Manuel Barroso is almost certain to clinch a second term as European Commission president when European leaders meet in Brussels on Thursday. The green light for the conservative Portuguese comes despite substantial criticism over his handling of the financial crisis last autumn. And most recently France and Germany raised doubts over his reappointment.

"The criticism over the way he dealt with the financial crisis is completely justified. There was silence for months from the Berlaymont [the Commission’s headquarters], not just from Barroso but also from his key Commissioners,"  says Antonio Missiroli, the director of the European Policy Centre. "But right now, I don’t see a better alternative."

As head of the EU’s executive body, Barroso is in the driving seat when it comes to drawing up of new laws for the EU’s 500 million citizens. Next year, he will command an operating budget of €138 billion.  Although he has been credited with pushing through an ambitious EU program to fight climate change and for being a better communicator than his predecessors, Barroso can boast few other strings to his bow.

Rank outsider
As his detractors point out, the former Portuguese Prime Minister was never even in the running for the job in 2004.  It was only thanks to the British vetoing front-runner Belgian Prime Minister Guy Verhoftstadt, largely because of his opposition to the Iraq war and his pro-federalist views, that Barroso came into the picture.

"It was only after Verhofstadt was blocked that suddenly someone came up who was not even on anyone’s list – and that was Barroso," says Daniel Cohn-Bendit, the firebrand leader of the Green Party at the European Parliament.  Along with the Socialists, the Greens say they want to veto Barroso and put forward the Belgian Liberal Verhofstad instead, when the Parliament has to give its backing next month.

The Greens have even launched a video as part of their campaign, which is a cut-and-paste montage of the Commission boss saying "No" repeatedly!  "The point is that there are good personalities around but they will only emerge after we have blocked Barroso," Cohn Bendit told journalists on Tuesday.

 
Poisoned chalice?
But diplomats believe the Parliament is unlikely to get a blocking majority against Barroso. There is a dearth of charismatic alternatives on the European stage, says Antonio Miserolli, with many European governments favouring a weaker figure at the Commission who will not challenge national authority too much. Besides, the best politicians often set their sights on a career at home.

"The question is that if you were say, the German chancellor was considered to be the right person, would you leave Berlin for Brussels? Angela Merkel probably considers remaining in office a more influential role. The good ones do not see a job in Brussels as a good career move, so you are left with the others." 

Down the road from the steel and glass Commission headquarters, shoppers at a local supermarket had no idea of who Barroso was. "Who is that?," asked one young couple as they looked at his picture. Yet no shopper was able to think of a good European leader to put in Europe’s driving seat. "Someone like Obama," the couple said in unison.

How depressing for Europe that there is no better alternative.

Listen to Vanessa Mock's report for Newsline: