How Günter Verheugen Is Winning Praise in Europe - by Hans-Jürgen Schlamp
President Barroso, who wants to be reelected, is eager not to spoil his chances with any of Europe's key politicians. And most of the 26 commissioners will be replaced by the end of the year. Verheugen would like to take advantage of this gap in leadership. He already passed something of a screening test for the role on Jan. 26 in Turin, at Italian carmaker Fiat. Not only was he able to reminisce in a refurbished version of the carmaker's classic Cinquecento model ("I used to have one of these," he said), but he also took the wheel of a state-of-the-art, 16-meter (52-foot) Iveco-40 truck. Verheugen drove the truck slowly across a big, empty parking lot, but when he took a turn too sharply, he began to perspire and said: "I told myself that I could do it: with a firm hand and a cool head!",p> When the EU economics ministers met in Brussels to discuss bailout programs for the auto industry, Verheugen announced his good news -- and promptly upped the ante. In light of the existential crisis at General Motors' European subsidiary Opel, he proposed a special meeting of all EU countries where Opel has production plants. These countries include, for example, Germany, Spain, Belgium and Poland. This, Verheugen argued, would allow the Europeans to effectively combine forces against the Americans. Of course, Günter Verheugen nominated himself as coordinator.
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