There is currently no single President of the European Union, though there are a 3 major positions that carry the title "President" within the Union's institutional framework.

Future prospects on EU president title

Although there are no "EU president" role as of today, the matter is included in the talks about a new EU treaty. The single "foreign minister" post is allso being discussed. According to media; the new posts are likely to come into being in 2009.

The Brench president Nicolas Sarkozy has proposed the outgoing British prime-minister for the EU president job.<ref>Revealed: Secret meeting where French President offered Blair EU President job This is London 16.06.07

Presidency of the Council of the European Union

The Presidency of the Council of the European Union is rotated between member-states of the European Union every six months. The Council of the European Union (aka Council of Ministers or just Council) is comprised of the relevant national ministers depending on the topic being discussed. The minister from the state holding the presidency chairs the Council. As a result, the country holding the Presidency is able to affect the overall policy direction of the Union for the six month mandate. Since 2007, the Presidency has been co-ordinated every 18 months by three countries (a "triplet"), though one still takes a lead position every 6 months.

There is usually a national minister in charge of a member's presidency, usually the foreign minister, who is the President of the Council of the European Union. This position is occasionally described by some as the "President of the European Union", though sometimes the title is used for the head of state or government (see European Council below). The current member holding the Presidency is Germany, until July 2007. The minister in charge is Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier.

President-in-office of the European Council

Main article: President-in-office of the European Council

The Presidency of the Council of the European Union also applies to the European Council. The head of state or government of the country holding the Presidency is also the President of the European Council. The position is officially referred to as "President-in-office of the European Council".

Their duty of the President is primarily that of preparing and chairing the meetings of the council. The president is able to direct the general policy direction of the Union during their term and gives a degree of external representation to the Union (e.g. attending G8 meetings).

This post is the closest position to any single "President of the European Union" and, like the national minister position above, has been described by some as the "President of the European Union". The position rotates with the Presidency every 6 months, the current President is Angela Merkel.

Under the Treaty establishing a Constitution for Europe, the position would become a 2 and a half year appointed position, elected by the members of the European Council, which would see no change in its powers. This change in position has been described directly by some as a new "President of the European Union".

President of the European Commission

The President of the European Commission is head of the 27-member college of Commissioners. The Commission's responsibilities include drafting legislative proposals and managing the day to day running of the Union. It is also responsible for a degree of the Union's external representation, for example attending G8 meetings.

The Commission President is proposed by the European Council, who take account of the previous European Elections, before being elected by the European Parliament for a five year mandate. The Current President is José Manuel Durão Barroso (Barroso Commission). The first President (EEC) was Walter Hallstein.

It has be described by some as the "President of the European Union" but a more common analogy is "Prime Minister of the European Union" given the style of position over a cabinet government. [1][2]

President of the European Parliament

The President of the European Parliament presides over the plenary of the Parliament, which is one half of the legislative branch of the Union.

The President also chairs the Bureau and Conference of Presidents as well as representing the Parliament. The President's role is similar to that of a speaker in a national parliament. Unlike the above, the position is not considered to be the "President of the European Union"

The current President is Hans-Gert Pöttering, elected by the Parliament's members in 2007 for the usual 2 and a half year mandate.

History of Presidents

(incomplete:1975 to 2009)