President of the European Commission

The President is the head of the European Commission, which is the executive branch of the European Union (EU). The President decides on the organisation of the Commission and allocates portfolios to individual Commissioners, sets the Commission’s policy agenda and represents the Commission in European Council meetings, G7 and G20 summits, summits with non-EU countries and major debates in the European Parliament (the Parliament) and in the Council of the European Union.

The Commission President is elected on the basis of a procedure laid down in Article 17 of the Treaty on European Union. Pursuant to that procedure, the European Council, acting by a qualified majority, proposes to the Parliament a candidate for President of the European Commission, taking into account the result of the European Parliament elections. The Parliament elects the proposed candidate by a majority of its members. If a majority is not obtained, the European Council must propose a new candidate within 1 month.

The President’s term of office runs for a period of 5 years, which is renewable.

Based on proposals from EU Member States, the Council of the European Union and the President-elect adopt the list of other persons proposed as Members of the Commission. His/her agreement is also needed to appoint the EU’s High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, who also becomes a Commission Vice-President. All Members of the Commission are subject as a body to a vote of consent by the Parliament. On that basis, the Commission is appointed by the European Council, acting by a qualified majority.