President of the European Council
The President of the European Council is the person responsible for chairing and driving forward the work of the European Council, the institution which provides political direction to the European Union (EU). The president also represents the EU on the world stage. The current president is Herman van Rompuy.
From 1975 to 2009, the head of the European Council was an unofficial position (often referred to as President-in-Office) held by the head of state or government of the member state holding the semi-annually rotating Presidency of the Council of the European Union at any given time. However, since the Treaty of Lisbon, article 15 of the Treaty on European Union states that the European Council appoints its president for a two-and-a-half year term, with the possibility of renewal once. Appointments, as well as the removal of incumbents, require a qualified majority.
On 19 November 2009, the European Council agreed that its first president under the Lisbon Treaty would be Herman van Rompuy. Van Rompuy took office when the Lisbon Treaty came into force on 1 December 2009 with a term stretching until 31 May 2012.
From 1975 to 2009, the head of the European Council was an unofficial position (often referred to as President-in-Office) held by the head of state or government of the member state holding the semi-annually rotating Presidency of the Council of the European Union at any given time. However, since the Treaty of Lisbon, article 15 of the Treaty on European Union states that the European Council appoints its president for a two-and-a-half year term, with the possibility of renewal once. Appointments, as well as the removal of incumbents, require a qualified majority.
On 19 November 2009, the European Council agreed that its first president under the Lisbon Treaty would be Herman van Rompuy. Van Rompuy took office when the Lisbon Treaty came into force on 1 December 2009 with a term stretching until 31 May 2012.
President of the European Parliament
Jerzy Buzek
The President of the European Parliament presides over the debates and activities of the European Parliament. He or she also represents the Parliament within the EU and internationally. The President's signature is required for enacting most EU laws and the EU budget.
Presidents serve two-and-a-half-year terms, normally divided between the two major political parties. There have been twenty-eight Presidents, since the Parliament was created in 1952 to 2009, thirteen of whom have served since the first Parliamentary election in 1979. Two Presidents have been women and most have come from the older member states. The current President is Jerzy Buzek.
The President chairs debates and oversees all the activities of the Parliament and its constituent bodies (ensuring the Parliament's rules of procedure are applied), in this the role is similar to that of a speaker in a national parliament. Below the President, there are 14 Vice-Presidents who chair debates when the President is not in the chamber. The President also chairs the meetings of the Bureau, which is responsible for budgetary and administration issues, and the Conference of Presidents which is a governing body composed of the presidents of each of the parliament's political groups.
Under the Lisbon Treaty, the President would no longer be counted as one of the 750 MEPs (post 2009, 785 in 2008) while in office. This is to keep the number of MEPs officially under the 750 cap.
Presidents serve two-and-a-half-year terms, normally divided between the two major political parties. There have been twenty-eight Presidents, since the Parliament was created in 1952 to 2009, thirteen of whom have served since the first Parliamentary election in 1979. Two Presidents have been women and most have come from the older member states. The current President is Jerzy Buzek.
The President chairs debates and oversees all the activities of the Parliament and its constituent bodies (ensuring the Parliament's rules of procedure are applied), in this the role is similar to that of a speaker in a national parliament. Below the President, there are 14 Vice-Presidents who chair debates when the President is not in the chamber. The President also chairs the meetings of the Bureau, which is responsible for budgetary and administration issues, and the Conference of Presidents which is a governing body composed of the presidents of each of the parliament's political groups.
Under the Lisbon Treaty, the President would no longer be counted as one of the 750 MEPs (post 2009, 785 in 2008) while in office. This is to keep the number of MEPs officially under the 750 cap.
President of the European Commission
José Manuel Barroso
The President of the Commission is appointed by the governments of the Member States, and then approved by the European Parliament. This dual legitimacy gives the President political authority, which he exercises in a variety of ways.
The President must try to provide forward movement for the European Union and to give a sense of direction both to his fellow Commissioners and, more broadly, to the Commission as a whole. This role was strengthened by the Amsterdam Treaty: 'The Commission shall work under the political guidance of its President' (Article 217). He calls and chairs meetings of the Members of the Commission, and can assign responsibility for specific activities to them or set up working groups. Lastly, he represents the Commission. In this capacity, he takes part in meetings of the European Council and of the Group of seven leading industrialised countries and Russia (G8), as well as in the major debates of the European Parliament and the Council of Ministers of the European Union. So, although the work of the Commission is based on the principle of collective responsibility, the President is much more than a first among equals.
The President must try to provide forward movement for the European Union and to give a sense of direction both to his fellow Commissioners and, more broadly, to the Commission as a whole. This role was strengthened by the Amsterdam Treaty: 'The Commission shall work under the political guidance of its President' (Article 217). He calls and chairs meetings of the Members of the Commission, and can assign responsibility for specific activities to them or set up working groups. Lastly, he represents the Commission. In this capacity, he takes part in meetings of the European Council and of the Group of seven leading industrialised countries and Russia (G8), as well as in the major debates of the European Parliament and the Council of Ministers of the European Union. So, although the work of the Commission is based on the principle of collective responsibility, the President is much more than a first among equals.