Sarkozy proposes Ireland and Britain share one EU commissioner

FRENCH president Nicolas Sarkozy was accused of being “out of step” with political realities after floating the idea that Ireland and Britain should share a European commissioner.

The proposal, revealed by a French diplomat in the German newspaper Die Welt has some politicians asking if Mr Sarkozy was making “a bad summer joke”.

The newspaper quotes a source close to Mr Sarkozy as saying the French president is considering proposals that countries of “similar culture and language circle” should share a commissioner. The idea proposes countries with a common cultural heritage, such as Britain and Ireland, could share a common commissioner.

Since Ireland’s rejection of the Lisbon treaty, EU leaders have been trying to figure out how to implement provisions in the Nice treaty to reduce the number of commissioners.

Sinn Féin MEP Mary Lou McDonald said: “The social, economic and political dynamics and needs of each state is different. Each commissioner brings his unique understanding of his own country to the EU table. EU political leaders have already conceded the possibility of retaining a commissioner for each state and the Irish people have rejected the proposition of reducing the number of commissioners,” she said. “President Sarkozy’s comments are out of step with both the people and EU political consensus.”

Naoise Nunn of anti-Lisbon group, Libertas said: “What the French president is doing is kite-flying, he is coming up with various propositions to see what the reaction will be. I will help him and tell him my reaction is: ‘No’ sharing commissioners like this would be completely unacceptable.”

The Austrian foreign minister, Ursula Plassnik, was the first EU politician to come out against the proposal: “It can not be a serious French proposal. The idea of combi-commissioners or half-half commissioners is not even a bad summer joke,” she said.