The ECPM congratulates Belgian Prime Minister Herman van Rompuy with his nomination as first permanent president of the European Council. The ECPM is glad that a Christian-democrat will hold this office in the following years. Mr. van Rompuy is appraised for his principled and calm handling of the political situation in Belgium. As writer he has also expressed his belief in Christian-democracy that is rooted in Christian faith and in his publications he applied this convincingly to actual core causes of problems in today's Europe. In his political career he showed that Christian-democracy can be a political concept that works and solves the problems of a nation. The ECPM is convinced that the European Council made the right choice that will help Europe forward.

The ECPM also congratulates Commissioner Catherine Ashton with her nomination as high representative for the foreign policy of the EU. The ECPM hopes that both she and mr. van Rompuy will represent the core values of Europe on the global stage and work together for freedom, democracy, peace and sustainability in Europe and the world.