The European Union needs to create the post of an elected president to foster greater political unity, German Finance Minister Wolfgang Schaeuble said Thursday as the bloc faces deep economic and political problems.
"Europe must have a face," Schaeuble said in the western German city of Aachen as he accepted this year's Charlemagne Prize, one of Europe's most prestigious awards given for promoting European causes.
Greater political unity could help Europe as it struggles to contain the debt crisis now envelopping Greece and other member states and threatening the very fabric of the bloc, he said.
Currently, both the European Commission and the European Council have presidents, but these positions are appointed by European lawmakers.
The 69-year-old Schaeuble is a staunch proponent of an integrated Europe and is the oldest member of Chancellor Angela Merkel's cabinet. He is tipped to become the next head of the Eurogroup comprising the finance ministers of countries that use the single currency.
Schaeuble suggested the European Commission, the EU's top executive body, should eventually morph into a "European government," thereby giving EU citizens greater ownership over what happens in Brussels.
It is not the first time Schaeuble has called for an EU elected president, but he said the issue is more urgent than ever as the EU grapples with ongoing political and financial woes.
"We need strong institutions, with a legitimate political body," he said, adding it was the "key to the future of Europe."
Among those honouring Schaeuble on Thursday was Jean-Claude Juncker, the prime minister of Luxembourg and current Eurogroup president.
"Schaeuble belongs to a classic group of people who think that what is good for Europe is good for their country, and what's bad for Europe is bad for their country," said Juncker, who also supports greater European unity.
© 2012 AFP
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