For the past few weeks Poland has been flirting with the idea of derailing efforts to revive the European Union "treaty," formerly known as its constitution. A number of suitors have come knocking in Warsaw in an attempt to turn the Polish leaders' heads, but the ruling Kaczynski twins still seem mesmerized by the idea of using the Polish veto if they can’t get what they want.

Poland wants to change a hard-won method of voting set down in the stalled constitution. The so-called "double majority" system strikes Polish leaders as unfair. It calls for at least 55 percent of EU members, representing 65 percent of the population, to approve decisions. The Kaczynskis argue that it favors populous nations like Germany. They've proposed an unspecified "square root" system, which would increase Poland's voting weight.

On Thursday, the new French President Nicolas Sarkozy, was the latest leader to make his way to Warsaw to try to persuade the Poles of the need to compromise. Initial indications were good: After the meeting President Lech Kaczynski said "We don't want to be isolated. We want to achieve a solution." And his brother, Prime Minister Jaroslaw Kaczynski, told the Polish daily Dzienik on Friday that he was more optimistic of an agreement after the visit of the center-right French leader. "I believe we can say some light has appeared," he said.

But the same man told a different newspaper Fakt, "Poland doesn’t see a reason today to accept the solution written in the European constitution." And in an interview with the London Times on Friday, his brother, President Lech Kaczynski, seemed to suggest that Poland could still torpedo the EU summit. "Poland has the right to protect its interests," he said. "I'd like this to be a success, but not a success where some come out as winners and others as losers."

The next nervous caller due in Warsaw is the Spanish prime minister, Jose Luis Zapatero, on Friday. And then President Kaczynski is to travel to Berlin on Saturday to meet with German Chancellor and current holder of the EU rotating presidency, Angela Merkel.

Merkel was not sounding optimistic about her powers of persuasion this week. In a speech to the German parliament on Thursday, she said: "A solution is not in sight." European leaders are meeting in Brussels next week for a showdown summit, to try to resurrect the stalled constitution. Although other countries, such as Britain, the Czech Republic and Denmark also need convincing about the merits of the new treaty, it is Poland that is attracting all the attention as the Euro-spoilsport.

While some German commentators sympathize with Poland's concerns about Germay's clout in Europe, most are criticial of Poland's stubbornness, and lack of charm.

The center-left Süddeutsche Zeitung writes:

"The basic problem between Berlin and Warsaw lies in their different conceptions of the European Union. For Germany, over the decades, the community has become a symbol of reconciliation, particularly with France. And although Germany has undoubtedly always played a leading role -- due to its size and economic clout -- no one could ever accuse it of not having used this position for the good of the whole community."

"For Poland, and particularly for the Kaczynski brothers, the EU is, by contrast, an institution to be used to make good the wrongs that the country has suffered at the hands of other Europeans -- most of all the Germans. Warsaw likes to talk of the rights that membership entails, above all the veto power, and less of the duties.

"It will only be some day in the distant future, when Berlin and Warsaw's understanding of giving and taking have aligned, that both will mean the same thing when they talk about Europe."

The conservative Die Welt writes

"The problem is that there is no real compromise available for Poland's central request in the constitutional debate. Only the Poles want a change to the 'double majority' for future agreements in the EU. But that can't happen. One of the main achievements of the current constitutional treaty is exactly this rule, which finally distributes voting rights proportionally based on population size."

"This rule is fair, transparent and democratic for all. It should not be allowed to change, just because one country wishes it, out of a craving for attention or a fear of being affronted by Germany."

"Poland is far too marked at the moment by a double paranoia about Russia and Germany."

The Financial Times Deutschland writes:

"This defensive stance is due to a deep mistrust of its big neighbor (to the west). Although this is not justified by the behavior of the current government, it is understandable. The previous (German) government's arrogant treatment of Poland caused deep uncertainty. The special relationship that ex-chancellor, Gerhard Schröder, built with Russia, over Polish heads, caused irritation in Poland."

"Chancellor Merkel has done a lot to rectify this. But it would be an illusion to assume that the solidarity the EU showed to Poland in the meat export dispute with Russia has healed all these wounds."

"However, the Polish government will make a big mistake if it sticks to its model for the voting system. Influence in the EU has never depended on formal preconditions, such as the number of inhabitants. The ability to find compromises and to persuade, and to find the right tone and the decisive moments, are much more important."

The left-leaning Berliner Zeitung writes:

"Up to now the Kaczynski twins have viewed European politics mostly as a zero-sum game. Whatever gives an advantage to Germany in the EU, goes the logic, can only be to the disadvantage of Poland. If there is a voting mechanism based on population size, then this is an advantage for Germany, because Germany has twice as many citizens. That gave Warsaw the idea of brewing up their square root. That would close the Germany --Poland gap from 2:1 to around 1.4:1."