Canny Belgian poised for second term at EU helm

"If politics is the art of the possible, he's perfect," said analyst Hugo Brady of the CER. "If he wasn't there we'd miss him. We need a steady hand," he said. "He's contributed to the orderly holding of European Councils," or summits.

"As an unpretentious guy from a small country managing a vague and ill-defined brief it's good he stays on," Brady said. "And these are not times to change." "He's active, competent and given there's little executive power has done well."