Brussels, 09/10/2009 (Agence Europe) - Commission President José Manuel Barroso has entered the debate on the profile of the future permanent president of the European Council, calling on Friday for a “strong president” to defend the “Community method” and for “loyal cooperation” between the Community institutions. “I am really in favour of a strong European Council president. He must be a real European fully supporting the European project and committed to the Community method. He must also have the necessary authority and capacity to reach agreements in the European Council because creating consensus among the 27 will be his first responsibility”, Barroso said during a conference organised by Friends of Europe in Brussels on 9 October. Mr Barroso's stance may be interpreted as indirect support of the smaller member states which, after the fashion of the three Benelux countries, fear that a powerful president from a large member state may act in too autonomous a manner with the support of the large states while neglecting the Community method and jeopardising EU institutional balance (see the note from Benelux in yesterday's EUROPE). The joint exit by Belgium, the Netherlands and Luxembourg has been interpreted as a stance against Tony Blair. On the other hand, Barroso refuses to take a stance on possible candidates. It is up to the leaders themselves to designate their president, he said. (H.B./transl.jl)