President of the European Commission facts for kids

Quick facts for kids President of the European Commission
Logo of the Commission
Incumbent Ursula von der Leyen since 1 December 2019
European Commission
Style	President
Member of	College of Commissioners European Council
Reports to	European Parliament European Council
Seat	Berlaymont, Brussels, Belgium
Nominator	European Council
Appointer	European Parliament
Term length	Five years, renewable
Constituting instrument	Treaties of the European Union
Formation	1 January 1958
First holder	Walter Hallstein
Deputy	First Vice-President of the European Commission
Salary	€306,655

The President of the European Commission is like the main leader, or "head", of the European Commission. The European Commission is the part of the European Union (EU) that acts like a government. The President leads a team of people called Commissioners. This team is known as the "college."

The President decides what each Commissioner will work on. They can also change their roles or even ask them to leave. The college helps run the Commission's daily work. They also decide what new laws the EU should propose. The Commission is the only group that can suggest new EU laws.

The Commission President also speaks for the EU to other countries. They do this along with the president of the European Council and the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy. This important job started in 1958. Each new President is suggested by the European Council. Then, the European Parliament votes for them. They serve for five years and can be chosen again. The President also gives a yearly speech to the European Parliament. This speech is called the State of the Union address.

In July 2019, the European Council suggested Ursula von der Leyen for the job. She was elected by the European Parliament on July 16, 2019. She became the 13th President of the European Commission. Ursula von der Leyen started her job on December 1, 2019. This happened after the European Parliament approved her team of Commissioners.

History of the European Commission President

How the Role Started

Headquarters of the European Commission in Brussels (Berlaymont building)

Walter Hallstein, the first president of the Commission

The European Commission was created by the Treaty of Rome in 1957. It took over from earlier groups. The first President was Walter Hallstein. He worked to make European laws stronger. He also helped these laws affect national laws. At first, national governments did not pay much attention. But with help from the European Court of Justice, the Commission became more important.

In 1965, Hallstein suggested new rules for farming. These rules would give the EU its own money. They would also give more power to the Commission and Parliament. France's president, Charles de Gaulle, did not like these ideas. He thought Hallstein was acting like a country's leader. France even stopped sending its representative to meetings. This was called the "empty chair crisis." The problem was solved, but Hallstein was blamed. He was not chosen for another term.

President Mansholt helped start talks with new countries like Denmark and Ireland.

Growing Influence of the President

Hallstein's work made the Commission a strong force. Presidents in the 1970s worked on big projects. One was the idea of a single European money system. In 1970, President Jean Rey made sure the EU had its own money. In 1977, President Roy Jenkins was the first Commission president to attend a G7 meeting. This showed the EU's growing role in the world.

However, times were tough in the 1970s. Economic problems meant less focus on European unity. Member countries had more power. They created the European Council to talk about issues. But big projects like farming rules still faced problems. The EU went through a difficult period.

A Stronger President: Jacques Delors

Jacques Delors (left) made the European Commission Presidency much stronger. His predecessor was Gaston Thorn (right).

The Commission became strong again under President Jacques Delors. Many people see him as the most successful president. He gave the EU new energy and direction. He helped create the idea of a single market in Europe. He also pushed for closer economic and political unity.

Delors changed the role of the President. Before him, the President was just one of many leaders. After him, the President became the clear leader of the EU. Later agreements made the President even more powerful. They could decide what jobs Commissioners got. They could also make Commissioners resign. When President Romano Prodi started his job, he was called "Europe's first Prime Minister." This showed how much power the President had gained.

Parliament's Role in Choosing the President

President Prodi was called "Europe's first Prime Minister" because of his new powers.

For a long time, the Council chose the Commission President. The Parliament had no say. But in 1993, the Treaty on European Union changed this. The European Parliament, which is elected by EU citizens, gained the right to be asked about the President's choice. It also gained the power to reject the whole Commission.

The Parliament decided this meant they could reject the President too. The Council eventually agreed. This power was made official in another treaty. Later, the Council no longer needed everyone to agree on the President. This gave the Parliament even more power. It became more like a system where one political group could be in charge.

For example, in 2004, several people were suggested for President. A center-right candidate won. The Parliament then made the chosen President, José Manuel Barroso, change some of his Commissioners. This was because Parliament threatened not to approve his team.

In 2009, the European People's Party (EPP) supported Barroso again. They were the biggest party after the election. Barroso was again chosen. But Parliament still made him change some Commissioners. In return for approval, Parliament also gained more say in meetings. In 2010, Barroso gave the first yearly "State of the Union" speech to Parliament. This speech focused on the EU's economy and human rights.

How the President is Chosen

President Barroso was from the EPP, the largest party in 2004 and 2009.

The Treaty of Lisbon explains how the President and their team are chosen. First, the European Council suggests a person for President. They do this by a special vote. They also consider the results of the latest European elections. This means they often look at which political party won the most votes.

Then, this suggestion goes to the Parliament. The Parliament must approve or reject the person. If most members of Parliament (MEPs) vote for the person, they are elected. After that, the President and the Council suggest the rest of the team. Each person on the team has to speak to a Parliament committee. This is a public meeting. Finally, the Parliament votes on the whole team. If approved, the European Council officially appoints them.

Openness in Choosing

The way the President is chosen has become more political. This is because Parliament is involved. However, the choice within the Council often happens in private. In the past, discussions were kept secret. News reporters had to rely on leaks. Members of Parliament were upset about this. They felt it was not democratic. Similar secret talks happened in 1999 and 2004. MEPs criticized this process.

What Makes a Candidate Chosen?

Number of presidents by member state

State	Presidents
Luxembourg		3
France		2
Germany (acting)		2
Italy		2
Belgium		1
Netherlands		1
Portugal		1
United Kingdom		1
Spain		1

The person chosen by the Council is often a well-known national politician. But this is not a rule. The choice must consider the results of the latest European elections. For example, they might pick someone from the political party that won the most votes. This is a common practice, but not a strict rule. In 2004, the EPP, which won the election, pushed for one of its members. Their candidate, José Manuel Barroso, was chosen.

Other things that can influence the choice include:

• Where the candidate is from in Europe.
• How much political influence they have.
• Their language skills (French is often seen as important).
• How much their country is involved in EU projects like the eurozone or Schengen Agreement.

There is often a pattern in who gets chosen. For example, a president from a large country might be followed by one from a smaller country. Or a left-wing president might be followed by a right-wing one. However, these choices often come from political fights and deals.

The Spitzenkandidat System

Before the 2014 election, presidential candidates were named for the first time. They could present their plans and campaign for the job. This is the EPP campaign bus of Jean-Claude Juncker.

European Commission presidency candidates at Eurovision Debate (May 2019). Left to right: Zahradil, Cué, Keller, Vestager, Timmermans, Weber

The Spitzenkandidat (which means "lead candidate" in German) system connects the choice of Commission President to the European Parliament elections. Each major European Political Party names its candidate for Commission President before the elections. The idea is that the candidate from the party that wins the most votes (or can form a winning group) should become the President.

This system was first used in 2014. The candidate from the largest party, Jean-Claude Juncker, was chosen. However, some leaders in the European Council did not fully agree with this new way of choosing.

How Long the President Serves

The President is elected for a five-year term. They can be chosen again. Their term starts five months after the European Parliament elections. These elections happen every five years. This link between the elections and the President's term has made the process more political. Political parties now often run with specific candidates for the presidency.

The Parliament can remove the President and their team. This is done through a "vote of no confidence." Parliament has never done this directly. However, in 1999, the Santer Commission resigned on its own. This happened because Parliament was about to vote to remove them due to money problems.

What the President Does

The President of the European Commission has a very powerful job in the European Union. They control the Commission. The Commission is the only body that can suggest new EU laws. It also makes sure these laws are followed. The President sets the main goals for the Commission during their term. No new policy can be suggested without the President's approval.

The President's main job is to lead the Commission. They guide the Commission and the EU as a whole. They call and lead meetings of the Commissioners. They can also ask a Commissioner to resign. The Commission works as a team, but the President is more than just "first among equals." Their role is similar to a prime minister leading a government.

The President also represents the Commission inside and outside the EU. For example, they are part of the European Council. They also take part in discussions in the Parliament and the Council of Ministers. Outside the EU, they attend meetings like the G8 to represent the Union.

The President's office is on the 13th floor of the Berlaymont building in Brussels. The President gets political advice from their personal team. This team helps protect the President's political standing. The President also has power over the legal and administrative parts of the Commission. This gives them more tools to guide the Commission's work.

After the Lisbon Treaty, there were new EU jobs. Some people worried about who was responsible for what. An ambassador from Ukraine explained it this way: The Commission President acts like the EU's "government." The president of the European Council is the "strategist." The High Representative handles "relations with other countries." The president of the European Parliament speaks about the EU's values.

Some people have suggested different names for these roles. For example, a "Speaker" for the Parliament or a "Prime Commissioner" for the Commission President. This would make it clearer what each person does.

President of the Commission vs. President of the European Council

Having both a Commission president (Barroso, left) and a European Council president (Van Rompuy, right) caused some confusion.

Even though the Commission President is powerful, larger EU countries sometimes try to reduce their role. This has become more common with the creation of the permanent president of the European Council. There was some confusion and worry about who did what. This was because the treaty language was not very clear.

One idea was that the European Council President was the "strategist." The Commission President was the "head of government." At international meetings, both presidents represented the EU. The Commission President usually spoke about money matters. The European Council President spoke about political issues. But this division was often hard to keep in practice.

Some people think it would be good to combine these two jobs. The European Council President cannot hold a national job. But they can hold another EU job. So, the Commission President, who is already part of the European Council, could also become its President. This would put the power of both top EU bodies into one person. This person could be called the "President of the European Union."

President's Salary

The President's basic monthly salary is set at a high level. In 2013, it was about €25,351 per month. This is about €304,212 per year. They also get extra money for housing and other costs. This includes money for children's schooling and household expenses.

List of Presidents

The European Economic Community was created by the Treaty of Rome. The list of presidents starts with the first president of the Commission of that community. The European Union is the legal successor to this community. The creation of the European Union in 1993 did not change the name of the position.

In 2009, the Treaty of Lisbon officially renamed the Commission to the European Commission. This reflected the name people already used.

Political Groups

•       Christian Democrats / European People's Party
•       Liberals / Liberal Democrats
•       Socialists
•       Progressive Democrats

N.	Portrait	President (Born–Died)	State	Took office	Left office	Commission	Party	Group		Electoral mandate	Refs
1		Walter Hallstein (1901–1982)	West Germany	1 January 1958	5 July 1967	Hallstein	CDU		Christian Democrats	–
				9 years, 185 days
2		Jean Rey (1902–1983)	Belgium	6 July 1967	1 July 1970	Rey	PLP		Liberals	–
				2 years, 361 days
3		Franco Maria Malfatti (1927–1991)	Italy	2 July 1970	21 March 1972	Malfatti	DC		Christian Democrats	–
				1 year, 264 days
4		Sicco Mansholt (1908–1995)	Netherlands	22 March 1972	5 January 1973	Mansholt	PvdA		Socialists	–
				290 days
5		François-Xavier Ortoli (1925–2007)	France	6 January 1973	5 January 1977	Ortoli	UDR		Progressive Democrats	–
				4 years
6		Roy Jenkins (1920–2003)	United Kingdom	6 January 1977	5 January 1981	Jenkins	Labour		Socialists	–
				4 years						1979
7		Gaston Thorn (1928–2007)	Luxembourg	6 January 1981	5 January 1985	Thorn	DP		Liberal Democrats
				4 years
8		Jacques Delors (1925–2023)	France	6 January 1985	22 January 1995	Delors	PS		Socialists	1984 1989
				10 years, 17 days
9		Jacques Santer (born 1937)	Luxembourg	23 January 1995	15 March 1999	Santer	CSV		European People's Party	1994
				4 years, 51 days
–		Manuel Marín (1949–2017)	Spain	15 March 1999	15 September 1999		PSOE		Socialists
				185 days
10		Romano Prodi (born 1939)	Italy	16 September 1999	21 November 2004	Prodi	Democrats		Liberal Democrats	1999
				5 years, 66 days
11		José Manuel Barroso (born 1956)	Portugal	22 November 2004	31 October 2014	Barroso	PSD		European People's Party	2004 2009
				9 years, 344 days
12		Jean-Claude Juncker (born 1954)	Luxembourg	1 November 2014	30 November 2019	Juncker	CSV		European People's Party	2014
				5 years, 29 days
13		Ursula von der Leyen (born 1958)	Germany	1 December 2019	Incumbent	Von der Leyen I · II	CDU		European People's Party	2019 2024
				5 years, 207 days

Timeline of Presidents

See also

In Spanish: Presidente de la Comisión Europea para niños

• Vice-President of the European Commission
• European Commissioner
• List of presidents of EU institutions
  • President of the European Parliament
  • President of the European Council
  • Presidency of the Council of the European Union
• President of the European Union