Anti-Prodi campaign may yield little

By Batuk Gathani

BRUSSELS, APRIL. 10. Mr. Romano Prodi, who took over as president of the European Commission only seven months ago may be facing a bitter power struggle between rival officials and member-States. The anti-Prodi campaign started early this month with the German media speculating that Mr. Prodi's days in Brussels were numbered. Aides promptly denied reports of a ``palace coup'' to oust Mr. Prodi as E.C. president. Mr. Prodi remained unflappable and when a reporter asked about the rumour, he quipped: ``Are you mad?''

The first report about the palace coup appeared in the German daily Frankfurter Allemagne and in the news weekly Der Spiegel which said the two British Commissioners - Mr. Chris Patten handling external affairs and Mr. Neil Kinnock in charge of Commission reforms were eyeing the E.C. top post. The german media, citing a series of alleged ``political gaffes'' accused Mr. Prodi of being ineffectual and concluded that ``an open power struggle within the European Commission is now considered imminent.''

At this stage, it may be churlish to write the political obituary of Mr. Prodi, but the whispering campaign certainly highlights the deep malaise and bitter rivalry among senior bureaucrats and officials in the E.C. It is also being said that European Union officials and bureaucrats are alarmed by Mr. Prodi's plans to crack down on rampant waste and mismanagement in the E.C. Mr. Prodi is certainly no pushover and his admirers see him as an articulate reformer, an able administrator and a seasoned politician. Mr. Prodi became the E.C. president in September, with the backing of 15 heads of

member-States. He is a seasoned politician and has survived the chaotic and scandal-ridden politics in Italy, forming the country's 55th Government since the end of the World War II.

When he took charge, Mr. Prodi offered a ``five- point'' reform programme to forge a new relationship with the European Parliament after allegations of mismanagement, sleeze and cronyism during the reign of his predecessor, Mr. Jacques Santer. The current rumours of Mr. Prodi's imminent political demise are seen as exaggerated but there is little doubt that there are differences of opinion between Mr. Prodi's concept of ``federalism'' and the ``inter-governmental'' concept of anti- federalists.

Mr. Prodi's spokesman described the anti-Prodi rumours as ``pure fabrication''. Mr. Prodi's determination to initiate a series of internal reforms to rescue the E.C. from nepotism and inefficiency may have earned him many enemies.

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Section  : International
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