List of presidents of the institutions of the European Union

This is a list of presidents of the institutions of the European Union (EU). Each of the institutions is headed by a president or a presidency, with some being more prominent than others. Both the President of the European Council and the President of the European Commission are sometimes wrongly termed the President of the European Union. Most go back to 1957 but others, such as the President of the Auditors Court or of the European Central Bank, have been created recently. Currently (), the President of the European Commission is Ursula von der Leyen and the President of the European Council is António Costa. __TOC__

Current officeholders President of the European Council Institution European CouncilThe duty of the European Council president is primarily that of preparing and chairing the meetings of the European Council. The position became 30-month appointed position, elected by the members of the European Council, in 2009 by virtue of the Treaty of Lisbon. Before, it rotated around between the head of state or government of the country holding the Presidency of the Council of the European Union (see below). This longer term President of the European Council has been described directly by some as a new "President of the European Union". According to the Financial Times, "the president would have few formal powers, but would give the EU strategic leadership and represent the bloc on the world stage on issues such as climate change, bilateral relations and development."Push for Blair as new EU president Financial Times 16 June 2007 Current holder António CostaMember State PartyParty of European SocialistsSince1 December 2024Presidency of the Council of the European Union Institution Council of the EUThe Presidency of the Council of the European Union (Council of Ministers) is rotated between member states every 6 months. The council is composed of the relevant national ministers depending on the topic being discussed with minister from the state holding the presidency chairing. The country holding the Presidency is able to affect the overall policy direction for the six months. 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.Current holderHead of GovernmentMicheál Martin PartyAlliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe PartySince1 July 2026President of the European Commission Institution European CommissionThe 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 EU. It is also responsible for a degree of the EU'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. It has been 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.Current holder Ursula von der LeyenMember State PartyEuropean People's PartySince1 December 2019President of the European Parliament Institution European ParliamentThe 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, but also represents the Parliament externally and vis a vis the other institutions, which is a more political role.Current holder Roberta MetsolaMember State PartyEuropean People's PartySince11 January 2022 President of the Court of Justice Institution Court of Justice of the European Union (Court of Justice)The President of the Court of Justice is elected from and by the judges for a renewable term of three years. The President presides over hearings and deliberations, directing both judicial business and administration. The European Court of Justice is the highest court in the European Union in matters of European Union law. As a part of the Court of Justice of the European Union it is tasked with interpreting EU law and ensuring its equal application across all EU member states. The Court is based in Luxembourg and is composed of one judge per member state – currently 27 – although it normally hears cases in panels of three, five or thirteen judges.Current holder Koen LenaertsMember State Party NoneSince8 October 2015President of the General CourtInstitutionCourt of Justice of the European Union (General Court)The President of the General Court is elected from and by the judges for a renewable term of three years. The President presides over hearings and deliberations, directing both judicial business and administration. The General Court is the second (unofficially lower) court of the Court of Justice of the European Union. It is responsible for cases in the fields of environment and consumers, freedom to provide services, law on the EU institutions, trade marks and intellectual and industrial property, competition, state aid, agriculture, public health, EU external relations, economic policy and access to documents. The Court is based in Luxembourg and is composed of two judges from each EU member state. Cases are heard by the chambers of 5 or 3 judges, presidents of which are elected for a term of three years. Unlike the Court of Justice, the General Court does not have Advocates General, but similar tasks can occasionally be performed by a judge of the General Court.Current holderSavvas PapasavvasMember StatePartyNoneSince16 September 2026President of the European Central Bank Institution European Central BankThe President of the European Central Bank is the head of the European Central Bank (ECB), the institution responsible for the management of the euro and monetary policy in the Eurozone of the European Union. The President heads the executive board, governing council and general council of the ECB and represents the bank abroad, for example at the G20. The President is appointed by majority in the European Council, de facto by those who have adopted the euro, for an eight-year non-renewable term. The primary objective of the European Central Bank, as mandated in Article 2 of the Statute of the ECB,Statute of the ECB is to maintain price stability within the Eurozone. Current holder Christine LagardeMember State PartyEuropean People's PartySince1 November 2019President of the European Court of Auditors Institution European Court of AuditorsThe duties of the President of the European Court of Auditors (which may be delegated) are to convene and chair the meetings of the Court, ensuring that decisions are implemented and the departments (and other activities) are soundly managed. Despite its name, the Court has no judicial functions. It is rather a professional external investigatory audit agency. The primary role of the court is to externally check if the budget of the European Union has been implemented correctly, in that EU funds have been spent legally and with sound management.Current holder Tony MurphyMember State Party NoneSince1 October 2022

Historic officeholders Conservative/Christian democrat Socialist Liberal/Centrist Communist Independent + Year President of theEuropean Commission President of theEuropean Council President of theEuropean Parliament Presidency of the Council of the European Union President of theEuropean Court of Justice 19581: Walter Hallstein (I) 1: Robert Schuman 1: André Donner 1959 19602: Hans Furler 1961 19621: Walter Hallstein (II)3: Gaetano Martino 1963 19644: Jean Duvieusart 2: Charles Léon Hammes 19655: Victor Leemans 19666: Alain Poher 1967 3: Robert Lecourt2: Jean Rey 1968 19697: Mario Scelba 1970 3: Franco Maria Malfatti 19718: Walter Behrendt 19724: Sicco Mansholt 19735: François-Xavier Ortoli9: Cornelis Berkhouwer 1974 1975Liam Cosgrave10: Georges Spénale Aldo Moro 1976Gaston Thorn 4: Hans KutscherJoop den Uyl 19776: Roy JenkinsJames Callaghan11: Emilio Colombo Leo Tindemans 1978Anker Jørgensen Helmut Schmidt 1979Valéry Giscard d'Estaing Jack Lynch1: Simone Veil Charles Haughey 1980Francesco Cossiga 5: Josse Mertens de WilmarsPierre Werner 19817: Gaston ThornDries van Agt Margaret Thatcher 1982Wilfried Martens2: Piet Dankert Anker Jørgensen Poul Schlüter 1983Helmut Kohl Andreas Papandreou 1984François Mitterrand3: Pierre Pflimlin 6: Alexander Mackenzie StuartGarret FitzGerald 1985Bettino Craxi Jacques Santer 19868: Jacques Delors (I)Ruud Lubbers Margaret Thatcher 1987Wilfried Martens4: Henry Plumb Poul Schlüter 1988Helmut Kohl 7: Ole DueAndreas Papandreou 19898: Jacques Delors (II)Felipe González François Mitterrand5: Enrique Barón Crespo 1990Charles Haughey Giulio Andreotti 1991Jacques Santer Ruud Lubbers 1992Aníbal Cavaco Silva6: Egon Klepsch John Major 19938: Jacques Delors (III)Poul Schlüter Poul Nyrup Rasmussen Jean-Luc Dehaene 1994Andreas Papandreou 8: Gil Carlos Rodríguez IglesiasHelmut Kohl7: Klaus Hänsch 19959: Jacques SanterFrançois Mitterrand Jacques Chirac Felipe González 1996Lamberto Dini Romano Prodi John Bruton 1997Wim Kok8: José María Gil-Robles Jean-Claude Juncker 1998Tony Blair Viktor Klima 1999Gerhard Schröder Manuel Marín (acting)10: Romano ProdiPaavo Lipponen9: Nicole Fontaine 2000António Guterres Jacques Chirac 2001Göran Persson Guy Verhofstadt 2002José María Aznar López10: Pat Cox Anders Fogh Rasmussen 2003Costas Simitis 9: Vassilios SkourisSilvio Berlusconi 2004Bertie Ahern 11: José Manuel Barroso (I)Jan Peter Balkenende11: Josep Borrell 2005Jean-Claude Juncker Tony Blair 2006Wolfgang Schüssel Matti Vanhanen 2007Angela Merkel12: Hans-Gert Pöttering T1 José Sócrates 2008 Janez Janša Nicolas Sarkozy T2 2009Mirek Topolánek Jan Fischer Fredrik Reinfeldt13: Jerzy Buzek 201011: José Manuel Barroso (II)1. Herman Van Rompuy T3 2011 T4 201214: Martin Schulz 2013 T5 2014 T6 201512: Jean-Claude Juncker2. Donald Tusk 2016 T7 10: Koen Lenaerts15: Antonio Tajani 2017 T8 2018 2019 T9 16: David Sassoli 202013: Ursula von der Leyen I3. Charles Michel T10 2021 2022T1117: Roberta Metsola Term expires January 20272023T122024202513: Ursula von der Leyen II Term expires 31 Oct 20294: António Costa Term expires 30 November 2029T132026

See also President of the European Union

References

External links EU Website – European Union Presidents President of the European Council European-council.europa.eu President of the European Commission ec.europa.eu President of the European Parliament europarl.europa.eu