THE HAGUE, 31/10/09 - Premier Jan Peter Balkenende is not ruling out being approached for the post of EU President. "It is premature. Perhaps there will be no request and I will not have to consider it," he said Friday after the EU summit in Brussels.

This was the first time the premier has commented publicly on the possibility of him being in the picture for the top EU post. Balkenene said he understands that "the desire exists for the premier to remain in the Netherlands" but at the same time that he feels "no pressure" from the government coalition to stay in The Hague.

It is unclear whether the cabinet could stay in office if Balkenende leaves for Brussels or whether general elections would follow. This would be largely up for the coalition parties to decide, as there is no fixed protocol or legal procedure for the situation.

"I think I am speaking on behalf of the entire cabinet if I say that we would prefer to continue with this team", said Labour (PvdA) leader and vice-premier Wouter Bos on Friday. He added that "nobody is irreplaceable".

Still, various insiders think that the PvdA or Balkenende's Christian democrats (CDA) or ChristenUnie, the third coalition party, might team up with the opposition, which will virtually unanimously demand elections if Balkenende goes. CDA is likely then to put forward Maxime Verhagen, the foreign minister, as his successor.

On newspaper websites, reactions from readers are overwhelmingly negative. The majority want Balkenende to go to Brussels if he gets the chance so the Dutch are rid of him, runs the most-heard opinion. Various polls indicate a majority of the electorate also want general elections if 'their' premier' is picked.