Herman Van Rompuy on power and influence in the EU

In your book and speeches you often refer to politics as an interplay of coincidences. What coincidence helped you become president of the European Council?

Well, in my case I can pinpoint exactly the coincidence that made me president of the European Council. In order to become president of the European Council you need to be or have been a head of state or government. I became a head by coincidence. Yves Leterme, then the current prime minister of Belgium had to resign over a...