There are two big reasons why a Karel Schwarzenberg win should charm us all. First, in an era of bling, celebrity, and growing cynicism about politics, Schwarzenberg embodies a rare combination of values: he represents authenticity and integrity, a certain old-world elegance, without taking himself too seriously.

One hundred years after the first international drug control treaty was signed the failure of the "war on drugs" is indisputable. In Europe two distinct trends are emerging around how countries are choosing to tackle drug policy; a punitive, criminalization approach--which is failing dramatically and expensively--or one based on scientific evidence and harm reduction--which is bearing fruits.

There are many questions and much political and social discontent to come as the EU struggles to emerge from this crisis in any positive way. Europe's leaders will need a lot more energy and some much bigger and better ideas on growth - and on the EU's role in the world - if future summits are to convince anyone that Europe is rebounding rather than staggering on.

The panic behaviour of the German Chancellor and French president, makes it plain to see that both countries are using the economic difficulties of other Eurozone countries and the restructuring of Europe, as a smoke-screen to hide their own systemic economic and social failures.