European diplomacy has (finally) found its leader

(B2) When Josep Borrell left the hearing room of the European Parliament on Monday (7 October), one fact seemed certain: European diplomacy had found its leader. Not that the man promised everything. On the contrary, he was cautious, realistic, bringing his function back to its golden mean: ensuring the junction of all the foreign policies of the Member States, trying to find common points, giving added value to the European project.

But, beyond these words which can be common, the former President of the European Parliament also knew how to show that, sometimes, it was better to say things than not to say them. On Russia, on the United States, on the neighborhood, on Syria, on Cuba, on the battlegroups... he was clear or at least as clear as one can be in his position, hitting the bull's eye every time. Like what diplomacy does not rhyme with wooden language.

At the end of the hearing, many were those who came to greet the former President of the European Parliament, to ask for a few more words, as if to prolong this moment. It's rare at auditions. We hadn't seen such reasoned enthusiasm for a long time... The man lingered, chatting with everyone for a few minutes. It took nearly 30 minutes before the new 'boss' was able to leave both the room and the hallway, to then quietly walk through Leopold Park on foot with his whole team, relieved, smiling. Hope...

(Nicolas Gros-Verheyde)

Read our full review: Auditions: Josep Borrell passes his great oral with elegance. 'We must rediscover the sense of initiative and action'