31.   The president is strengthened among Europeans by broad backing for the anti-terror efforts in Afghanistan, which get majority backing in Britain, France, Germany and Italy.

32.   The Socialists opposed singling out specific commissioners and warned they would vote to sack the entire Commission if a majority in the Parliament backed the Socialist motion.

33.   The Socialists warned they would vote against the commission if a majority of deputies in the Parliament backed the resolution by the Christian Democrats.

34.   The election represented the second stage in restoring democratic rule, after a referendum in August in which a large majority of citizens backed a new constitution.