What's in an MEP's trunk?

The European Parliament's aspiration to be a heavyweight EU institution is causing problems. The workplace protection service has appealed to MEPs and their staff to put less in the 5,000 orange plastic trunks (cantines in French) that are trans-ported down to Strasbourg each month for the plenary sessions. The Parliamentary authorities are worried that the movers might put their backs out lifting the trunks. The note asks staff to consider whether they need everything they pack in the trunks, pointing out that the trunks are being used to transport office supplies, telephone directories “and even” personal effects. The note adds that the trunks, which have a capacity of 100 litres, would weigh 100kg if filled with water. Could it be that staff are using the trunks to transport their favourite brand of mineral water down to Strasbourg? Or are they moving wine in the opposite direction? The staff are asked to limit the weight of each trunk to just 30kg, which is barely enough for a copy of the million-plus-signature petition against holding plenary sessions in Strasbourg.

Those in the European Parliament who have tired of Jacek Saryusz-Wolski (and there are many) are being kept in suspense by the Polish election results. Saryusz-Wolski has been chairman of the Parliament's foreign affairs committee since ousting Elmar Brok, but he would rather be Poland's foreign minister. He is a member of Civic Platform, the party that triumphed in the vote on Sunday (21 October) but he used his natural grace and charm to such effect during the election campaign that it seems he weakened his chances of being offered the ministerial post. Other names in the frame for the post are the former prime minister Jerzy Buzek, another MEP (who apparently declined the offer), or Radek Sikorski, who was defence minister in the Kaczynski government but was sacked for various disagreement with the twins. Donald Tusk, the future prime minister, should be suspicious of MEPs trying to persuade him of Saryusz-Wolski's merits.