Two of the most likely contenders for the presidency are former British Prime Minister Tony Blair and Prime Minister Jean-Claude Juncker of Luxembourg.

VOA: standard.2009.10.29

Sweden's Development Minister Gunilla Carlsson, whose country currently holds the rotating EU presidency, reiterated the EU stance that the sanctions are not against Zimbabwe.

VOA: standard.2009.09.12

Mr.Prime Minister, yours is the first official state visit of my presidency.

VOA: standard.2009.11.25

She backed the appointment of relative lightweights for both the EU presidency and the foreign minister's job created by the Lisbon treaty.

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Under a constitutional reform agreed last year, some powers are to be transferred from the presidency to a prime minister nominated by parliament.

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As to the secret funds, set up over 50 years ago and totalling FFr394m for this year, they have their place, he thinks: just over half goes to run the secret services, the rest being shared between the presidency and the prime minister's office to boost (in crisp cash) the pay packets of the supposedly overworked and underpaid, from senior ministerial advisers down to secretaries and cooks.

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