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Economist Herman Van Rompuy, 62, heads the council of 27 government leaders who control the E.U. He has been credited with guiding the EU during its crisis over Greek debt and the crash of the euro. “If the euro zone had fallen apart,” he said, “it would have been the end of the European Union.”
“Trying to be the first man in Europe and no one else around you would be a real catastrophe,” he said. “If you want to be the president of Europe with a high profile, you immediately come into conflict with other European institutions and member states. There are nuances, of course, depending on your ego, but there is only one way to do it: with a mixture of leadership and giving others the way to play their role.” He said: “I call myself a facilitator.” Then he said: “You cannot govern Europe against the member states.”
