November 15, 2004. Copyright 2004, Graphic News. All rights reserved

Profile of the next EU president, Luxembourg prime minister Jean-Claude Juncker
By Joanna Griffin

LONDON, November 15, Graphic News:  On the European stage, Jean-Claude Juncker is a leader who punches well above his countryÕs weight. Indeed, his high personal standing has meant that expectations are high of tiny LuxembourgÕs six months in the EU presidency hot seat beginning in January 2005.

As a founder member of the European Economic Community, Luxembourg was always going to be a pioneer in regional politics, but its prime minister is the first EU leader to be anointed, literally, ÒMr EuroÓ: in September Juncker was given the job of chairing meetings of the 12-nation eurozone for the next two years, and the new title points to his considerable skill at juggling EU interests with national priorities.

Born in 1954, Juncker learned early on that his countryÕs fate was tied inextricably to that of its bigger neighbours: during the second world war his father had been forcibly enlisted by the Germans and sent to the Russian front. In fact, as early as 1921 Luxembourg had formed an economic pact with Belgium to escape German influence and JunckerÕs career has been built on a firm belief in international cooperation.

Juncker trained as a lawyer but then chose politics, moving swiftly through the Christian Social Party to become Parliamentary Secretary in 1979. By 1984 he was both Minister of Labour and in charge of the countryÕs budget. His career was interrupted in 1989, when he remained in a coma for two weeks following a car crash.

But, even while plotting his path to succeed Jacques Santer at home -- he was first elected to lead a coalition government in 1995 -- JunckerÕs brilliance at framing complex EU financial issues was making him indispensable to discussions of its future. In 1985 he chaired the Council of Ministers for Social Affairs and the Budget, and in 1991 he helped to create the Maastricht treaty. It was he who came up with the notion of Òopting-outÓ for the eurosceptical Britons, enabling talks to go forward.

This skill at massaging the egos of the bigger EU members was deployed to good use again in Dublin in 1996, when Juncker won plaudits for mediating between GermanyÕs Helmut Kohl and FranceÕs Jacques Chirac over the stability pact underpinning economic and monetary union.

But Juncker is not afraid to stand up to them either: he loudly opposed the creation of a permanent EU president, fearing dominance by the bigger members. And he refused to be bullied into joining the race to succeed ItalyÕs Romano Prodi as Commission president this year, despite strong pressure from France and Germany.

At the time Juncker said he preferred to continue serving his country, and the appreciation is mutual: in June his compatriots voted overwhelmingly to re-elect him for a third time. The multilingual bon vivant is already the EUÕs longest serving leader, and he combines the top job with the finance portfolio.

LuxembourgÕs six-month tenure of the rotating EU presidency coincides with a crucial phase in decisions on the EU constitution. Juncker has warned of Òabsolute crisisÓ and a collapse of the ideals on which the union is founded if the project is rejected by a big player, such as France. But he also backs a more inclusive union, indicating that Turkey can begin accession talks, albeit tough ones, on his watch.
/ENDS