In an interesting blog post (in French), former President of the Convention on the Future of Europe, Valéry Giscard d’Estaing, raises an important question about the democratic accountability of the new post of President of the European Council:
Enfin, quelle est la relation à établir entre l’expression politique des citoyens à l’occasion des élections européennes et la désignation du Président du Conseil de l’Union ?
VGE urges the Slovenian EU Presidency to convene a high level study group to look at the issue – and underlines that democratic accountability is vital for the new position.
Not a bad idea all round, but One President is better. You don’t need any high level study groups for that. The European Political Parties can put up their candidates for Commission President before the European elections, and whichever party emerges strongest gets its person to be Commission President and European Council President.