May 8, 2006
Where are the bold leaders of today?
They do not seem to be anywhere in sight. From both sides of the Atlantic and beyond leaders seem stale, uninspired and lacking in finding new and bold answers to the questions of war and peace, energy, immigration, trade and a host of other issues facing the world today. In the United Kingdom Prime Minister Tony Blair’s own party is calling on him to set a date for when he will be leaving office even though he was only recently re-elected. The main topics being discussed in the British media all seem to revolve around the various scandals that are shaking up Blair’s administration. Blair has weathered many political storms including his unpopular support and active participation in the Iraq War. However, like many leaders who have been in power for too many years they lose their edge that got them elected in the first place.
Where once they were original, refreshing and inspiring new faces they become looked upon as tired leaders with no fresh ideas. Blair is an excellent speaker and stands out more than most of the world’s leaders today but his successor Gordon Brown is waiting in the wings and his own party is giving him the word that his time as prime minister needs to be winding down. In France the prime minister’s poll ratings are nearing the teen numbers and sinking fast. I could never understand Dominique de Villepin’s appeal. He seems incredibly distant from the people and from this side of the ocean like a smug stuffed shirt arrogant person who represents all that is wrong with French politics today. Prime Minister de Villepin seems like a remote leader who along with his boss President Jacques Chirac has little clue as to what is happening in their country. Their craven backing down on the recent jobs bill is a good indication why France is not a leader in the global world of today even though many of their leaders feel that the glory of France still exists. It doesn’t. France needs new leaders who can adjust to the real world by having their constituents working longer hours, being competitive and not having the government take care of the citizens every need. Those days are gone in our global economy and France needs leaders with the backbone to talk straight and have some bold views. Chirac and de Villepin both seem tired and out of touch. There is talk that Nicolas Sarkozy could replace de Villepin in the very near future. How well he would govern as prime minister remains to be seen.
Italy has a new leader in Romano Prodi. But Prodi was the head of Italy before and is anything but dynamic. Where are the young, and inspiring leaders in Italy? Why do they seem to choose the same old leadership over and over again? Berlusconi was colorful but not very effective. I have not heard much in the way of new ideas from Italy’s new leader. His coalition is very fragile and his victory was extremely close so he has very little room to fix Italy’s struggling economy. Prodi was not a strong leader when he was president of the European Commission. Speaking of the European Commission, can anyone reading this column name three commissioners? The commission by its very nature is a bland bureaucracy that resists bold and inspiring ideas. Having worked for the European Union for fifteen years I can testify to its bureaucratic nature that stifles initiative and creativity. The current President of the Commission Jose Manuel Barroso wouldn’t be known if he walked down the streets of most cities in Europe. He is a cautious leader and not what the EU needs at this point in time. Europe definitely needs an elected president and not an appointed group of uninspiring commissioners who are pretty much unaccountable to anyone except to the also uninspiring European Parliament. Germany’s Chancellor Angela Merkel has a high approval rating in her country but has yet to tackle any of the big reform issues to help the economy. Hopefully, she may prove to be one of the bold leaders her country needs. Time will tell about her leadership skills. In the United States the Bush Administration also seems tired and uninspiring at the moment. The Iraq War goes on and on with no new answers on what will allow the United States to withdraw its troops and declare victory. Nominating a military person to run the CIA also seems to be a particularly wrong idea and is meeting resistance from some Republicans in the House and Senate. The Bush administration’s political antennae seems to not be working very well and the new White House shake-up has so far not produced any new ideas. Russia has a strong leader in their president but this type of strength is not what the world needs. Putin is boldly going backwards away from democracy and a free media - not what is really needed today. If anyone feels there are some strong leaders with bold, workable, inspiring ideas out there I would like to hear from you. My email is rguttman@jhu.edu. | 
