The European Council in its special meeting on Tuesday elected Belgian Charles Michel as its president. He will serve a once renewable two and a half year term beginning 1 December 2019 until 31 May 2022. The council also considered nominees for other positions and defined its own role in nominating and appointing high profile EU level candidates.

Other nominations to EU positions include Germany’s Ursula von der Leyen, who will become President of the European Commission, the EU’s executive body, if she receives a majority vote in her favor from EU Parliamentary members. Spain’s Josep Borrel Fontelles was nominated to be the High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy. His formal appointment will require the agreement of the president-elect of the European Commission. France’s Christine Lagarde was also nominated to be President of the European Central Bank. Lagarde has already been considered by the EU Council for the presidency of the European Central Bank and awaits a formal decision from the council.