However, I do not believe that if Denmark quickly sweeps away opt-outs on defence and justice and home affairs policy while remaining outside the eurozone, it will really be a convincing pro-European platform for Fogh Rasmussen's ambitions. Nor do I think Fogh Rasmussen is a “quiet contender” as you titled him. This is because, as Taylor rightly points out, Danes may not take kindly to dropping the justice and home affairs opt-out when, more than any other current EU leaders, Rasmussen was propelled into power and has retained his position because of some of the toughest anti-asylum and immigration rhetoric and legislation anywhere in the EU.
The Danish anti-immigration model, whether you agree with it or not, has Rasmussen's stamp firmly on it – the Danish law prohibiting family reunification for foreign spouses under the age of 24 and all foreign family members above the age of 60 is uniquely harsh in the EU and breaches Article 8 of the European Convention on Human Rights. It has involved Fogh Rasmussen making deals with unsavoury elements of the far right.
It is why, as a non-white immigrant to the EU, I would find Rasmussen a deeply divisive president. I believe this would be a widespread view among the millions of non-white EU citizens and hopefully well beyond.
Italian prime minister-elect Silvio Berlusconi's approval based on Rasmussen's good looks is unlikely to be the unifying factor he really needs among the liberal and left progressives of Europe.
