EU nominates first woman to lead commission
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European Union leaders have nominated people to its four top jobs, including a woman to head the European Commission.
Following a tense three-day negotiation, German defence minister Ursula von der Leyen has been nominated to replace Jean-Claude Juncker as the new president of the bloc's powerful executive arm, the European Commission for the next five years.
The role of head of the European Council will be filled by Belgian Prime Minister Charles Michel in the Autumn, current president of the council, Donald Tusk, confirmed.
International Monetary Fund chief Christine Lagarde has been nominated to succeed European Central Bank chief Mario Draghi, whose single, eight-year term ends in November.
On Tuesday Ms Lagarde announced she would step down "temporarily" from the leadership of the global crisis lender during the nomination period.
Should her bid be successful, Ms Lagarde will step down two years before the end of her second five-year term at the helm of the IMF.
Spain's acting foreign minister, the socialist Josep Borrell, would be the EU's new top diplomat in Brussels if elected.
All of those nominated, bar Mr Michel, must be confirmed by a European Parliament vote. The assembly sits in Strasbourg, France on Wednesday to elect its own new president.
Several lawmakers have already objected to the leaders' package of nominations, and it remains to be seen whether the parliament will flex new found muscles following the massive turnout for EU-wide elections in May. Party leaders have said the vote has brought the assembly - the EU's only elected institution - even more democratic legitimacy.
"It won't be easy in parliament," said Mr Juncker, who steps down on Oct. 31 as head of the commission, which proposes and enforces EU laws.
Already plagued by crises like Brexit and deep divisions among nations over how best to manage migration, the leaders had been keen to show that they could take quick decisions and that the European project remains important to its citizens.
But the leaders struggled to establish a delicate balance between population size and geography - an even mix of countries from the north and south, east and west, and ensure that at least two women were nominated.
European Union leaders have nominated people to its four top jobs, including a woman to head the European Commission.
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| EU leaders struck a deal on the bloc's top jobs with German Defence Minister Ursula von der Leyen getting the powerful European Commission chief. AFP |
The role of head of the European Council will be filled by Belgian Prime Minister Charles Michel in the Autumn, current president of the council, Donald Tusk, confirmed.
International Monetary Fund chief Christine Lagarde has been nominated to succeed European Central Bank chief Mario Draghi, whose single, eight-year term ends in November.
On Tuesday Ms Lagarde announced she would step down "temporarily" from the leadership of the global crisis lender during the nomination period.
Should her bid be successful, Ms Lagarde will step down two years before the end of her second five-year term at the helm of the IMF.
Spain's acting foreign minister, the socialist Josep Borrell, would be the EU's new top diplomat in Brussels if elected.
All of those nominated, bar Mr Michel, must be confirmed by a European Parliament vote. The assembly sits in Strasbourg, France on Wednesday to elect its own new president.
Several lawmakers have already objected to the leaders' package of nominations, and it remains to be seen whether the parliament will flex new found muscles following the massive turnout for EU-wide elections in May. Party leaders have said the vote has brought the assembly - the EU's only elected institution - even more democratic legitimacy.
"It won't be easy in parliament," said Mr Juncker, who steps down on Oct. 31 as head of the commission, which proposes and enforces EU laws.
Already plagued by crises like Brexit and deep divisions among nations over how best to manage migration, the leaders had been keen to show that they could take quick decisions and that the European project remains important to its citizens.
But the leaders struggled to establish a delicate balance between population size and geography - an even mix of countries from the north and south, east and west, and ensure that at least two women were nominated.
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