Public reacts to van Rompuy – at least it wasn’t Blair | Research

Monday 23rd November 2009 | 16:00

Public reacts to van Rompuy – at least it wasn’t Blair

A new nationwide PoliticsHome poll reveals that voters are content with a low-profile figure as President, but are unhappy with the undemocratic process that led to his appointment

Herman van Rompuy’s appointment as the inaugural permanent President of the European Council has been given a disgruntled backing from British voters, who tend to be relieved that the position will be filled by a low-profile, chairman-style figure, but strongly object to the process that led to his appointment.

Van Rompuy was given a unanimous backing by the 27 EU leaders last week, and will begin his tenure on 1st January 2010, after he has resigned from his position as Prime Minister of Belgium.

47% think the decision to go for a low-profile figure is a good move, compared to 26% who believe it is the wrong decision. 27% opted for ‘don’t know’.

A majority of Conservative (56%) and Lib Dem (60%) voters support the appointment of a low-profile figure. Labour supporters were divided - 35% believe it is the right decision, 35% disagree.

Better than Blair

61% of the British public believe van Rompuy is preferable to former Prime Minister Tony Blair, who was strongly linked with the role of President. Just 23% would have preferred Blair to take the role.

Conservatives, Liberal Democrats and non-aligned voters were all strongly against Blair, whilst 46% of Labour supporters would have preferred him to van Rompuy.

Undemocratic

However, there is strong public dissatisfaction at the process which led to van Rompuy’s appointment. Just 15% believe that the process for appointing van Rompuy was ‘sufficiently democratic and transparent’.

70% disagree, including 52% who strongly disagree. Majorities across party lines shared this view.

PoliticsHome interviewed 1190 voters by email between 20-22 November 2009. Results are weighted by party ID to reflect the UK at large.

Leave a comment...

Chris Coles

16:17 |
25 Nov 2009
Recommended
4

Our own PM and Ministers (especially peers) are not democractically elected to their positions by the electorate. Voters may send an MP to Parliament, but it is the political parties and the PM's patronage which decide who gets the top jobs and wield power, so the EU is not any more undemocractic than the UK system.

Grumpy Old Man

16:21 |
25 Nov 2009
Recommended
8

The last thing the Franco-German axis would want would be a strong European Council led by a capable President elected by a democratic process. The quality of those chosen demonstrates that the present unelected, unaccountable and demonstrably corrupt cabal will continue to lead the people of Europe by the nose - ably supported by the pliant majority of useful idiots within the European Parliament.

heckmonwyke

18:54 |
25 Nov 2009
Recommended
3

Its a pity the polls didnt include a question wether we need or want a unelected by the EU voters figurehead.He may be low profile but he can still cause the UK a lot of touble if he follows his sponsors directions,i think the media in this country were so keen to stop Blair they took there eyes off of the other candidates. And we got Rumpy.

George Woodhouse

19:26 |
25 Nov 2009
Recommended
4

The fact is that there is very little about the EU governance that is democratic. Most of our laws now come from the EU, without any if them needing to go through a process of presenting a manifesto to the electorate or them then voting for the alternatives. The MEPs have little scope for amending anything - and our own sovereign parliament has virtually no opportunity for scrutiny of these laws. Forget all the other problems with the EU - and there are many - until the electorate are allowed to be part of the process they will demand to leave. Successive governments are playing a very dangerous game by denying the electorate a say in the running of their own lives.

A J Scott

19:48 |
27 Nov 2009
0

Another crass "poll" which provides the answer any clown could have provided for no cost; and without bothering the pollees. Can they all take a cold shower and watch Sex and the City, or whatever.

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Public reacts to van Rompuy – at least it wasn’t Blair