Madam, - After the Byzantine process which handed José Manuel Durão Barroso the presidency of the European Commission, isn't it time we allowed the electorate to vote for their commissioners, and then had the commissioners vote for their president? The "democratic deficit" is the unfinished business that marred Ireland's otherwise superb negotiation of the EU constitution.
Having a directly elected president would not help. A direct mandate would give the president more clout in challenging the Council of Ministers, but this could lead not only to confusion and inefficiency, but also to dangerous constitutional conflicts over their respective powers.
If every country elected a commissioner we would bring the EU closer to the nation states of Europe. If the Commission then voted - publicly - for its choice of president, the EU as a whole would be more accountable, more popular and more effective. - Yours, etc.,
EAMONN TOLAND, Pine Court, Blackrock, CoDublin.