View source for President of the European Commission

{{Short description|Head of the European Commission}}
{{Distinguish|Presidency of the Council of the European Union|President of the European Council}}
{{Use British English|date=January 2020}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2020}}
{{Infobox official post
| post = President
| body = the European Commission
| insignia = European Commission.svg
| insigniasize = 
| insigniacaption = Logo of the Commission
| flag = Flag of Europe.svg
| flagsize = 
| flagcaption = [[Flag of Europe]]
| image = Official Portrait of Ursula von der Leyen.jpg
| incumbent = [[Ursula von der Leyen]]
| incumbentsince = 1 December 2019
| department = [[European Commission]]
| style = [[President (government title)|President]]{{efn|The European Commission [[Style Guide]] denotes the correct form of [[Style (form of address)|oral address]] for the officeholder of the President of the European Commission is the [[Gender neutrality|gender-neutral]] "''President''", rather than the gender-specific "[[Mr. President (title)|''Mr President'']]" or "''Madam President''" found in, for example, the [[United States]].<ref>{{cite book |title=English Style Guide: A handbook for authors and translators in the European Commission |date=October 2019 |publisher=European Commission |page=119 |edition=8 |url=https://ec.europa.eu/info/sites/info/files/styleguide_english_dgt_en.pdf |access-date=2 December 2019}}</ref>}}
| status = [[Head of government]]
| member_of = College of Commissioners<br>[[European Council]]
| reports_to = [[European Parliament]]<br>European Council
| seat = [[Berlaymont]], [[City of Brussels|Brussels]], Belgium
| nominator = European Council
| appointer = European Parliament
| termlength = Five years, renewable
| constituting_instrument = [[Treaties of the European Union]]
| formation = 1 January 1958
| first = [[Walter Hallstein]]
| deputy = [[First Vice-President of the European Commission]]
| salary = €306,655<ref>{{Cite magazine |page=56 |magazine=European Voice |title=European commissioners: what they earn |access-date=19 June 2015 |date=February 2015 |url=http://www.politico.eu/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/Commission-companion-full.pdf#page=56}}</ref>
| website = {{URL|https://commission.europa.eu/about/organisation/president_en|ec.europa.eu}}
}}
The '''president of the European Commission''', also known as '''president of the College of Commissioners''' is the [[Head of government|head]] of the [[European Commission]], the [[Executive (government)|executive branch]] of the [[European Union]] (EU). The president of the Commission leads a cabinet of commissioners, referred to as the College. The president is empowered to allocate portfolios among, reshuffle, or dismiss commissioners as necessary. The college directs the commission's civil service, sets the policy agenda and determines the legislative proposals it produces. The Commission is the only body that can [[Right of initiative (legislative)|propose]],{{efn|within the areas specified by the Treaties}} or draft, bills to become [[European Union law|EU laws]].

The Commission president also represents the EU abroad, together with the [[High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy]]. The post was established in 1958. Each new president is nominated by the [[European Council]] and elected by the European Parliament,{{efn|The Parliament may only accept or reject the Council's choice.<ref>{{cite encyclopedia |encyclopedia=Encyclopedia Britannica  | title=European Commission |url=https://www.britannica.com/topic/European-Commission |first=Clifford A. |last=Jones | date=9 November 2023 |quote=The procedure is that the governments of the member states jointly select a commission president, who is then approved by Parliament.}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.citizensinformation.ie/en/government_in_ireland/european_government/eu_institutions/european_commission.html |title=European Commission |website=citizensinformation.ie |date=21 June 2022 |publisher=Government of Ireland |quote="The Parliament must also approve the President of the European Commission"}}</ref>}}  for a five-year term.<ref>{{cite web |title=CONSOLIDATED VERSION OF THE TREATY ON EUROPEAN UNION  |url= https://eur-lex.europa.eu/resource.html?uri=cellar:2bf140bf-a3f8-4ab2-b506-fd71826e6da6.0023.02/DOC_1&format=PDF   |quote=Article 17 (7). Taking into account the elections to the European Parliament and after having held the appropriate consultations, the European Council, acting by a qualified majority, shall propose to the European Parliament a candidate for President of the Commission. This candidate shall be elected by the European Parliament by a majority of its component members. If he does not obtain the required majority, the European Council, acting by a qualified majority, shall within one month propose a new candidate who shall be elected by the European Parliament following the same procedure.}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=Kotanidis |first1=Silvia |publisher=European Parliamentary Research Service |title=Role and election of the President of the European Commission |url=https://www.europarl.europa.eu/EPRS/EPRS-Briefing-637983-Role-election-EC-President-update-2019-FINAL.pdf |access-date=29 September 2022 |quote=The Treaty of Lisbon strengthened the role of Parliament further. Whilst previously, the nomination of a presidential candidate was merely 'approved' by Parliament (Article 214(2) TEC), Parliament now elects the candidate (Article 17(7) TEU), which places particular emphasis on the political linkage between Parliament and Commission.}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Election of the European Commission President |url=https://www.consilium.europa.eu/en/infographics/election-european-commission-president/ |website=www.consilium.europa.eu |access-date=29 September 2022 |language=en |quote="European Council proposes a candidate [...], European Parliament elects [...], a new Commission President is elected.}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=Klemperer |first1=David |title=EU institutions: how are the top jobs allocated? |url=https://www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/explainers/eu-top-office-holders-appointment |website=www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk |date=23 May 2019 |access-date=29 September 2022 |publisher=[[Institute for Government]] |quote=According to the 2009 Lisbon Treaty, the Council, acting by qualified majority vote, proposes a candidate for European Commission President to the European Parliament. The candidate is either elected by the European Parliament, or, if they fail to obtain an absolute majority, rejected, in which case the process is repeated until a candidate is elected by the Parliament.}}</ref> The president of the Commission also delivers an annual [[State of the Union (European Union)|State of the Union]] address to the [[European Parliament]].

In July 2019, the [[European Council]] nominated [[Ursula von der Leyen]] to succeed [[Jean-Claude Juncker]], and she was elected the 13th president of the European Commission by the European Parliament on 16 July.<ref>{{Cite news |url=https://www.politico.eu/article/eu-european-leaders-pick-germany-defense-minister-ursula-von-der-leyen-to-lead-commission-charles-michel-council/ |title=EU leaders pick Germany's von der Leyen to lead Commission|last1=Barigazzi|first1=Jacopo|date=2 July 2019|work=POLITICO europe|access-date=2 July 2019|last2=Herszenhorn|first2=David M.|last3=Bayer|first3=Lili}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=MEPs elect first female EU Commission president |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-49010801 |access-date=17 July 2019 |publisher=BBC News |date=16 July 2019}}</ref> Von der Leyen assumed office on 1 December 2019, following the approval of her nominated [[European Commission#College of Commissioners|College of Commissioners]] by the European Parliament,<ref>{{cite news |last1=Herszenhorn |first1=David M. |last2=de la Baume |first2=Maïa |title=Von der Leyen's in – now the hard work begins |url=https://www.politico.eu/article/european-parliament-confirms-von-der-leyen-commission/ |access-date=1 December 2019 |work=Politico |date=27 November 2019}}</ref> and was re-elected on 18 July 2024.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Abnett |first1=Kate |last2=Fiorin |first2=Marta |title=EU Commission boss von der Leyen elected for second term |url=https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/eu-parliament-decide-second-term-commission-chief-von-der-leyen-2024-07-18/ |access-date=16 April 2025 |work=Reuters |date=18 July 2024}}</ref>

==History==
{{Further|European Commission#History|History of the European Union}}

===Establishment===
[[File:Belgique - Bruxelles - Schuman - Berlaymont - 01.jpg|thumb|Headquarters of the European Commission in Brussels ([[Berlaymont building]])]]
[[File:Bundesarchiv B 145 Bild-F028459-0019, Robert-Schuman-Preis, Verleihung an Walter Hallstein.jpg|thumb|[[Walter Hallstein]], the first president of the Commission]]
The present Commission was established by the [[Treaty of Rome]] in 1957; it also replaced the High Authority and the Commission of [[Euratom]] in 1967.<ref name="ENA commission history">{{Cite web|title=European Commission|publisher=CVCE|url=http://www.cvce.eu/obj/european_commission-en-281a3c0c-839a-48fd-b69c-bc2588c780ec.html|access-date=4 May 2013}}</ref> The commission's first president was [[Walter Hallstein]] (see [[Hallstein Commission]]) who started consolidating [[Law of the European Union|European law]] and began to impact on national legislation. National governments at first took little heed of his administration, with the president having to stamp the commission's authority early on. With the aid of the [[European Court of Justice]], the commission began to be taken more seriously.{{sfn|Eppink|2007|pp=221–222}}

In 1965, Hallstein put forward his proposals for the [[Common Agricultural Policy]], which would give the Community its own financial resources while giving more power to the Commission and Parliament and removing the veto power over Agriculture in the council. These proposals led to an immediate backlash from France.<ref name="ENA Chair">{{Cite web|publisher=CVCE|title=The 'empty chair' policy|url=http://www.cvce.eu/obj/the_empty_chair_policy-en-f6d19361-9a7a-4e39-ae93-0f898e652d85.html|access-date=4 May 2013}}</ref> Hallstein knew the proposals would be contentious, and took personal charge of drafting them, over-riding the [[European Commissioner for Agriculture|Agriculture Commissioner]]. However he did gain the support of Parliament through his proposals to increase its powers, and he also presented his policy to Parliament a week before he submitted them to the council. He aimed to demonstrate how he thought the Community ought to be run, in the hopes of generating a wave of pro-Europeanism big enough to get past the objections of member states. However, in this it proved that, despite its past successes, Hallstein was overconfident in his risky proposals.<ref name="LSE Chair">{{Cite web|last=Ludlow|first=N|year=2006|publisher=[[London School of Economics]]|title=De-commissioning the Empty Chair Crisis: the Community institutions and the crisis of 1965–6|url=http://eprints.lse.ac.uk/2422/01/Decommisioningempty.pdf|access-date=24 September 2007|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071025203706/http://eprints.lse.ac.uk/2422/01/Decommisioningempty.pdf <!-- Bot retrieved archive -->|archive-date=25 October 2007|url-status=dead}}</ref>

[[File:Sicco Mansholt 1946.jpg|thumb|[[Sicco Mansholt|President Mansholt]] opened the first enlargement talks with Denmark, Ireland, Norway and the United Kingdom]]

In reaction to Hallstein's proposals and actions, then-French president [[Charles de Gaulle]], who was sceptical of the rising supranational power of the commission, accused Hallstein of acting as if he were a [[head of state]]. France eventually withdrew its representative from the council, triggering the notorious "empty chair crisis".<ref name="ENA Chair"/> Although this was resolved under the "[[Luxembourg compromise]]", Hallstein became the scapegoat for the crisis. The Council refused to renew his term, despite his being the most 'dynamic' leader until [[Jacques Delors]].<ref name="LSE Chair"/>

===1967–1985===
Hallstein's work did position the commission as a substantial power. The presidents were involved in the major political projects of the day in the 1970s, such as the [[Economic and Monetary Union of the European Union|European Monetary Union]].{{sfn|Eppink|2007|p=222}} In 1970, President [[Jean Rey (politician)|Jean Rey]] secured the Community's own financial resources,<ref>{{cite web |publisher=[[Europa (web portal)|Europa]] |title=The Rey Commission |url=http://ec.europa.eu/commission_barroso/president/history/rey/index_en.htm |access-date=10 February 2008}}</ref> and in 1977, President [[Roy Jenkins]] became the first Commission president to attend a [[G8|G7]] summit on behalf of the Community.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.deljpn.ec.europa.eu/union/showpage_en_union.external.g8.php |title=EU and the G8 |access-date=25 September 2007 |publisher=European Commission |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070226165606/http://www.deljpn.ec.europa.eu/union/showpage_en_union.external.g8.php |archive-date=26 February 2007 }}</ref>

However, owing to problems such as the [[1973 oil crisis]] and the [[1979 energy crisis]], economic hardship reduced the priority of European integration, with only the president trying to keep the idea alive. The member states had the upper hand, and they created the [[European Council]] to discuss topical problems, yet the council was unable to keep the major projects on track such as the [[Common Agricultural Policy]].{{sfn|Eppink|2007|pp=222–223}} The Community entered a period of [[eurosclerosis]], owing to economic difficulties and disagreements on the [[Budget of the European Union|Community budget]], and by the time of the [[Thorn Commission]] the president was unable to exert his influence to any significant extent.{{sfn|Eppink|2007|p=24}}

===Presidentialism===
[[File:Jacques Delors, Kurt Furgler, Gaston Thorn, World Economic Forum 1986.jpg|thumb|[[Jacques Delors]] (left) breathed new life into the European Commission Presidency after a period of 'eurosclerosis' under his predecessor, [[Gaston Thorn]] (right)]]
However, the commission began to recover under President [[Jacques Delors]]' [[Delors Commission|Commission]]. He is seen as the most successful president, being credited with having given the Community a sense of direction and dynamism.<ref>{{cite web |publisher=[[Burson-Marsteller]] |title=The new Commission&nbsp;– some initial thoughts |year=2004|url=http://www.bmbrussels.be/box_bmnewcomm.php |access-date=17 June 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070925173727/http://www.bmbrussels.be/box_bmnewcomm.php<!-- Bot retrieved archive --> |archive-date=25 September 2007}}</ref> The ''[[International Herald Tribune]]'' noted the work of Delors at the end of his second term in 1992: "Mr. Delors rescued the European Community from the doldrums. He arrived when Europessimism was at its worst. Although he was a little-known (outside France) finance minister and former MEP, he breathed life and hope into the EC and into the dispirited Brussels Commission. In his first term, from 1985 to 1988, he rallied Europe to the call of the single market, and when appointed to a second term he began urging Europeans toward the far more ambitious goals of economic, monetary and political union."<ref name="IHT Delors quote">{{cite web |last=Merritt |first=Giles |title=A Bit More Delors Could Revamp the Commission |work=International Herald Tribune |date=21 January 1992 |url=http://www.iht.com/articles/1992/01/21/edgi_0.php |access-date=17 October 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080121053056/http://www.iht.com/articles/1992/01/21/edgi_0.php<!-- Bot retrieved archive --> |archive-date=21 January 2008}}</ref>

But Delors not only turned the Community around, he signalled a change in the Presidency. Before he came to power, the Commission president still was a position of [[first among equals]]; when he left office, he was the undisputed icon and leader of the Community. His tenure had produced a strong Presidency and a strong Commission as the president became more important. Following treaties cemented this change, with the president being given control over the allocation of portfolios and being able to force the resignation of Commissioners. When President [[Romano Prodi]] took office with the new powers of the [[Treaty of Amsterdam]], he was dubbed by the press as Europe's first Prime Minister.<ref>{{cite web |last=James |first=Barry |title=Prodi to Have Wide, New Powers as Head of the European Commission |work=International Herald Tribune |date=16 April 1999 |url=http://www.iht.com/articles/1999/04/16/eu.2.t_0.php |access-date=17 June 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071017203411/http://iht.com/articles/1999/04/16/eu.2.t_0.php<!-- Bot retrieved archive --> |archive-date=17 October 2007}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last=Rossant |first=John |title=Commentary: Romano Prodi: Europe's First Prime Minister? (int'l edition) |work=Business Week |date=27 September 1999 |url=http://www.businessweek.com/1999/99_39/b3648256.htm |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20010406003725/http://www.businessweek.com/1999/99_39/b3648256.htm |url-status=dead |archive-date=6 April 2001 |access-date=17 June 2007}}</ref> President Delors' work had increased the powers of the Parliament, whose support he had enjoyed. However, later Commissions did not enjoy the same support, and in 1999, the European Parliament used its powers to force the [[Santer Commission]] to resign.{{sfn|Eppink|2007|p=228}}

===Parliamentary oversight===
[[File:Vladimir Putin with Romano Prodi-1.jpg|thumb|[[President Prodi]] was dubbed by the press as "Europe's first Prime Minister" due to his new powers]]
Historically, the Council appointed the Commission president and the whole body by unanimity without input from Parliament. However, with the [[Treaty on European Union]] in 1993, the European Parliament, the body elected directly by the citizens of the European Union,<ref name="ENA Parliament">{{cite web |title=European Parliament |date=7 September 2016 |publisher=[[European NAvigator]] |url=http://www.cvce.eu/obj/european_parliament-en-ad6a0d57-08ef-427d-a715-f6e3bfaf775a.html |access-date=5 August 2017}}</ref> gained the right to be consulted on the appointment of the president and to veto the commission as a whole. Parliament decided to interpret its right to be consulted as a right to veto the president, which the Council reluctantly accepted.{{sfn|Hix|2008|pp=37–38}} This right of veto was formalised in the [[Amsterdam Treaty]]. The [[Treaty of Nice]] changed the council's vote from a unanimous choice to one that merely needed a [[Voting in the Council of the European Union|qualified majority]]. This meant that the weight of the Parliament in the process increased resulting in a quasi-[[parliamentary system]] where one group could be in government. This became evident when numerous candidates were put forward in 2004, and a centre-right vote won out over left-wing groups, France and Germany.{{sfn|Hix|2008|p=38}} [[José Manuel Barroso]], elected Commission president that year, was then forced to back down over his choice of Commissioners, owing to Parliament's threat that it would not approve his Commission.{{sfn|Hix|2008|p=39}}

In 2009, the [[European People's Party]] (EPP) endorsed Barroso as its candidate for Commission president, and the EPP subsequently retained its position as largest party in that year's election. The Socialists responded by pledging to put forward a rival candidate at future elections.<ref name="PES candidate 09"/> Once again, Barroso was forced by Parliament to make a change to his proposed Commission,<ref>Mahony, Honor (19 January 2009). "[http://euobserver.com/9/29296 EU commission vote delayed as Bulgarian nominee steps down]", ''EU Observer''</ref> but eventually received assent. However, in exchange for approval, Parliament forced some concessions from Barroso in terms of Parliamentary representation at Commission and international meetings.<ref name="B2A">{{cite web |last=Taylor |first=Simon |title =MEPs agree working relations with Barroso |work=[[European Voice]] |date=28 January 2010 |url=http://www.europeanvoice.com/article/imported/meps-agree-working-relations-with-barroso/66982.aspx |access-date =28 June 2007}}</ref> On 7 September 2010, Barroso gave the first US-style [[State of the Union (European Union)|State of the Union address]] to Parliament, which focused primarily on the EU's economic recovery and human rights. The speech was to be annual.<ref>Rettman, Andrew (7 September 2010). "[http://euobserver.com/9/30747 EU has survived economic crisis, Barroso says in first State of Union address]", ''EU Observer''</ref>

==Appointment==
[[File:Flickr - europeanpeoplesparty - EPP Congress Warsaw (290).jpg|thumb|[[President Barroso]], from the [[European People's Party|EPP]] which was the largest party after the 2004 and 2009 elections]]
Article 17 of the [[Maastricht Treaty|Treaty on European Union]], as amended by the [[Treaty of Lisbon]], lays out the procedure for appointing the president and their team.<ref name=article-17>Article 17 of the [http://eur-lex.europa.eu/LexUriServ/LexUriServ.do?uri=OJ:C:2008:115:0013:0045:EN:PDF Treaty on European Union (Lisbon amended)], (PDF) Eur-Lex</ref> The [[European Council]] votes by [[Voting in the Council of the European Union|reinforced qualified majority]] for a nominee for the post of President, [[Spitzenkandidat|taking account]] of the latest [[Elections in the European Union|European elections]].<ref name=article-17/> According to Article 238 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, the qualified majority is in this case a 'reinforced qualified majority' since the European Council votes on a proposal not coming from the [[European Commission]] or the [[High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.consilium.europa.eu/en/european-council/role-nominations-appointment/|title=The role of the European Council in nominations and appointments|website=European Counil|access-date=4 July 2024}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.consilium.europa.eu/en/council-eu/voting-system/qualified-majority/|title=Qualified majority|website=European Counil|access-date=4 July 2024}}</ref><ref>[https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX%3A12016E238 Article 238 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union]</ref>

This proposal is then put before Parliament which must approve or veto the appointment. If an absolute majority of MEPs support the nominee, they are elected. The president then, together with the council, puts forward their team to the Parliament to be scrutinised. The Parliament normally insists that each one of them appear before the parliamentary committee that corresponds to their prospective portfolio for a public hearing. The Parliament then votes on the commission as a whole; if approved, the European Council, acting by a qualified majority, appoints the president and their team to office.<ref name=article-17/>

===Transparency===
Qualified majority in the council has led to more candidates being fielded while there has been greater politicisation due to the involvement of Parliament and the change of policy direction in the EU from the creation of the [[single market]] to reform of it.{{sfn|Hix|2008|p=157}} However, despite this, the choice within the Council remains largely behind closed doors. During the appointment of Santer, discussions were kept ''[[in camera]]'' ("private" from Latin "in chamber"), with the media relying on insider leaks. MEPs were angry with the process, against the spirit of consultation that the new EU treaty brought in. [[Pauline Green]] MEP, leader of the [[Party of European Socialists|Socialist group]], stated that her group thought "Parliament should refuse to condone a practice which so sullies the democratic process".{{sfn|Hix|2008|p=158}} There were similar deals in 1999 and 2004 saw a repeat of Santer's appointment when Barroso was appointed through a series of secret meetings between leaders with no press releases on the negotiations being released.{{sfn|Hix|2008|p=159}} This was sharply criticised by MEPs such as the [[Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe Group|ALDE group]] leader [[Graham Watson]] who described the procedure as a "[[Justus Lipsius building|Justus Lipsius]] carpet market" producing only the "lowest common denominator"; while [[The Greens–European Free Alliance|Green-EFA]] co-leader [[Daniel Cohn-Bendit]] asked Barroso after his first speech "If you are the best candidate, why were you not the first?"<ref>{{Cite web|last=Cohn-Bendit|first=Daniel|title=Nomination of Commission President handled 'in a most unsatisfactory way'|publisher=[[Europa (web portal)|European Parliament]]|year=2004|url=http://www.grahamwatsonmep.org/news/000025.html|access-date=1 July 2007|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070829045302/http://www.grahamwatsonmep.org/news/000025.html|archive-date=29 August 2007}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|last=Watson|first=Graham|title=Statement by the President-designate of the Commission|publisher=Graham Watson MEP website|date=21 July 2004|url=http://www.europarl.europa.eu/sides/getDoc.do?pubRef=-//EP//TEXT+CRE+20040721+ITEM-006+DOC+XML+V0//EN&language=EN|access-date=1 July 2007}}</ref>

===Criteria===
{| class="wikitable" style="float: right; margin: 0 1em 0.5em; clear:right"
|+ Number of presidents by member state
! State
! colspan="2" | Presidents
|-
| {{flagu|Luxembourg}} || style="border-right: none" | <div style="width: 60px; height: 4px; background: #555555;"></div> || style="border-left: none" | 3
|-
| {{flagu|France}} || style="border-right: none" | <div style="width: 40px; height: 4px; background: #555555;"></div> || style="border-left: none" | 2
|-
| {{flagu|Germany}} || style="border-right: none" | <div style="width: 40px; height: 4px; background: #555555;"></div> || style="border-left: none" | 2
|-
| {{flagu|Italy}} || style="border-right: none" | <div style="width: 40px; height: 4px; background: #555555;"></div> || style="border-left: none" | 2
|-
| {{flagu|Belgium}} || style="border-right: none" | <div style="width: 20px; height: 4px; background: #555555;"></div> || style="border-left: none" | 1
|-
| {{flagu|Netherlands}} || style="border-right: none" | <div style="width: 20px; height: 4px; background: #555555;"></div> || style="border-left: none" | 1
|-
| {{flagu|Portugal}} || style="border-right: none" | <div style="width: 20px; height: 4px; background: #555555;"></div> || style="border-left: none" | 1
|-
| {{flagu|United Kingdom}} || style="border-right: none" | <div style="width: 20px; height: 4px; background: #555555;"></div> || style="border-left: none" | 1
|-
| {{flagu|Spain}} ''(acting)''|| style="border-right: none" | <div style="width: 20px; height: 4px; background: #555555;"></div> || style="border-left: none" | 1
|}

The candidate selected by the Council has often been a leading national politician, but this is not a requirement. The choice of President must take into account the result of the latest [[Elections in the European Union|Parliamentary elections]] (for example, by choosing the candidate supported by the largest [[European political party]] in particular, or at least someone from that political family{{snd}} the ''[[Spitzenkandidat]]'' principle, below{{snd}} but this is a convention, not an obligation).<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.economist.com/europe/2019/05/30/the-race-for-the-eus-big-jobs-gets-under-way |title=The race for the EU's big jobs gets under way |newspaper=[[The Economist]] |date=30 May 2019 |access-date=8 June 2019}}</ref> That provision was not in force in the nomination in 2004, but the centre-right EPP, which won the election, pressured for a candidate from its own ranks. In the end, the EPP candidate, José Manuel Barroso, was chosen.<ref>{{cite web |title=Barroso Appointed EU Commission President |publisher=[[Deutsche Welle]] |date=30 June 2004 |url=http://www.dw.de/barroso-appointed-eu-commission-president/a-1250649 |access-date=27 June 2014}}</ref> On the same basis, the EPP endorsed again Barroso for a second term during the 2009 European election campaign and, being largest again after that election, was able to secure his nomination by the [[European Council]].<ref>{{cite web |title=Leaders officially back Barroso for second Commission term |url=https://www.france24.com/en/20090709-leaders-officially-back-barroso-second-commission-term- |website=france24 |access-date=2 September 2025}}</ref>

Further criteria seen to be influencing the choice of the Council include: which area of Europe the candidate comes from, favoured as Southern Europe in 2004; the candidate's political influence, credible yet not overpowering members; language, proficiency in French considered necessary by France; and degree of integration, their state being a member of both the [[eurozone]] and the [[Schengen Agreement]].<ref>{{cite web|last=Fuller |first=Thomas |title=Portuguese premier wants to unite bloc : Barroso nominated to head EU executive |work=International Herald Tribune |date=30 June 2004 |url=http://www.iht.com/articles/2004/06/30/eu_ed3__5.php |access-date=1 July 2007 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://archive.today/20110604225815/http://www.iht.com/articles/2004/06/30/eu_ed3__5.php |archive-date=4 June 2011}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last=Stuart |first=Paul |title=Portugal's Prime Minister Barroso nominated as European Commission president |publisher=World Socialist Web Site |date=21 July 2004 |url=http://www.wsws.org/articles/2004/jul2004/port-j21.shtml |access-date=1 July 2007 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110606130922/http://www.wsws.org/articles/2004/jul2004/port-j21.shtml|archive-date=6 June 2011}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=José Manuel Durão Barroso: The New Commission President |publisher=Grayling |year=2004 |url=http://www.graylingbrussels.com/Vote4CommissionPresident/index.php?page=barossoprofile |access-date=1 July 2007 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070929043354/http://www.graylingbrussels.com/Vote4CommissionPresident/index.php?page=barossoprofile |archive-date=29 September 2007}}</ref>

There has been an assumption{{by whom|date=June 2019}} that there is a rolling agreement along these lines,{{citation needed|date=June 2019}}<!-- Please do not delete as this is probably cited in Hix (2008), but it is not certain. --> that a president from a large state is followed by a president from a small state, and one from the political left will be followed by one from the political right: Roy Jenkins (British socialist) was followed by Gaston Thorn (Luxembourgish liberal), Jacques Delors (French socialist), Jacques Santer (Luxembourgish Christian democrat), Romano Prodi (Italian left-wing Christian democrat) and José Manuel Barroso (Portuguese Christian democrat). However, despite these assumptions, these presidents have usually been chosen during political battles and coalition-building. Delors was chosen following a Franco-British disagreement over [[Claude Cheysson]], Santer was a compromise after Britain vetoed [[Jean-Luc Dehaene]], and Prodi was backed by a coalition of thirteen states against the Franco-German preference for [[Guy Verhofstadt]].{{sfn|Hix|2008|p=156}}

===Elections===
In February 2008, President Barroso admitted that despite the president having in theory as much [[Legitimacy (political science)|legitimacy]] as heads of governments, in practice it was not the case. The low [[voter turnout]] creates a problem for the president's legitimacy, with the lack of a "European political sphere", but analysts claim that if citizens were voting for a list of candidates for the post of President, turn out would be much higher than that seen in recent years.<ref name="Barroso Legitimacy">{{Cite web|last=Mahony|first=Honor|title=Barroso admits legitimacy problem for commission president post|publisher=EU Observer|url=http://euobserver.com/9/25740|date=28 February 2008|access-date=29 February 2008 }}</ref>

Under the [[Treaty of Lisbon]] the [[European Council]] has to take into account the results of the latest European elections and, furthermore, the Parliament elects, rather than simply approves, the council's proposed candidate. This was taken as the parliament's cue to have its parties run with candidates for the president of the commission with the candidate of the winning party being proposed by the council.<ref name="Epin"/> This was partly put into practice in 2004 when the European Council selected a candidate from the political party which secured a [[plurality (voting)|plurality]] of votes in [[2004 European Parliament election|that year's election]]. However, at that time only a minor party had run with a specific candidate: the then fourth-placed [[European Green Party]], which had the first true pan-European political party with a common campaign,<ref name="Green First">{{cite web |title=European Greens Found European Greens |date=23 February 2004 |publisher=[[Deutsche Welle]] |url=http://www.dw-world.de/dw/article/0,,1119463,00.html |access-date=30 January 2008}}</ref> put forward [[Daniel Cohn-Bendit]] and lost even its fourth place in the following election, becoming only the fifth-largest group in 2009 and diminishing its candidate's chances further.<ref name="Epin">{{cite web |last=Hughes |first=Kirsty |title=Nearing Compromise as Convention goes into Final Week? |publisher=EPIN |url=http://www.epin.org/pdf/comment_Hughes2_june03.pdf |access-date=30 January 2008 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080227034911/http://www.epin.org/pdf/comment_Hughes2_june03.pdf |archive-date=27 February 2008 }}</ref> However, the victorious EPP only mentioned four or five people as candidates for president.<ref name="Euractiv elect deficit">{{cite web |title=The EP elections: Deepening the democratic deficit |publisher=Euractiv |date=16 June 2004 |url=http://www.euractiv.com/en/future-eu/ep-elections-deepening-democratic-deficit/article-128495 |access-date=27 July 2007 |archive-date=18 October 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071018234315/http://euractiv.com/en/future-eu/ep-elections-deepening-democratic-deficit/article-128495 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

There have been plans to strengthen the European political parties<ref name="EUO Political">{{cite web |last=Mahony |first=Honor |title=European politics to get more political |publisher=EU Observer |date=27 June 2007 |url=http://euobserver.com/9/24370 |access-date=28 June 2007}}</ref> for them to propose candidates for future elections.<ref name="Palmer">{{cite web |last=Palmer |first=John |title=Size shouldn't matter |work=The Guardian |date=10 January 2007 |url=http://commentisfree.guardian.co.uk/john_palmer/2007/01/good_rather_than_bad_not_b_ig.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080209210103/http://commentisfree.guardian.co.uk/john_palmer/2007/01/good_rather_than_bad_not_b_ig.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=9 February 2008 |access-date=28 June 2007}}</ref><ref name="FU Leadership">{{cite web |title=Leadership of the EU |publisher=[[Federal Union]] |url=http://www.federalunion.org.uk/europe/democracyleadership.shtml |access-date=27 August 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070609002711/http://www.federalunion.org.uk/europe/democracyleadership.shtml<!-- Bot retrieved archive --> |archive-date=9 June 2007 |url-status=dead }}</ref> The [[European Liberal Democrat and Reform Party]] indicated, in its October 2007 congress, its intention to forward a candidate for the post as part of a common campaign but failed to do so.<ref name="Lib Cand">{{cite web |title=RESOLUTION ELDR CONGRESS IN BERLIN 18–19&nbsp;OCTOBER 2007 |publisher=ELDR party |url=http://www.eldr.org/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=1127 |date=24 October 2007 |access-date=4 January 2008}} {{dead link|date=June 2016|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}</ref> However, the EPP selected Barroso as its candidate and, as the largest party, it was able to ensure his turn was renewed.

The Socialists, disappointed at the 2009 election, agreed to put forward a candidate for Commission President at all subsequent elections.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.pes.org/en/system/files/Resolution2_adopted_EN.pdf |title=Resolution n°2: A New Way Forward, A Stronger PES |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110515134443/http://www.pes.org/en/system/files/Resolution2_adopted_EN.pdf |archive-date=15 May 2011}} Adopted by the 8th PES Congress in Prague, 7–8 December 2009</ref> After a campaign within that party to have open primaries for said candidate,<ref name="PES candidate 09">{{cite web |last=Phillips |first=Leigh |title=Socialists want US-style primaries for commission president candidate |publisher=EU Observer |date=12 August 2010 |url=http://euobserver.com/9/30615 |access-date=12 August 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100815215459/http://euobserver.com/9/30615 |archive-date=15 August 2010 |url-status=dead }}</ref> the PES Congress gathering in Brussels in November 2011 decided that the PES would designate its candidate for Commission president through primaries taking place in January 2014 in each of its member parties and organisations,<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.pes.org/sites/www.pes.org/files/adopted_resolution___selecting_our_common_candidate_in_2014___en.pdf |title=PES Resolution: Selecting our common candidate in 2014 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111203064003/http://www.pes.org/sites/www.pes.org/files/adopted_resolution___selecting_our_common_candidate_in_2014___en.pdf |archive-date=3 December 2011}} Adopted by the PES Council on 24 November 2011</ref> before a ratification of the results by an Extraordinary PES Congress in February 2014.

==={{lang|de|Spitzenkandidat}}===
{{Main|Spitzenkandidat}}
[[File:Laophorium Ioannis Claudii Juncker anno 2014.jpg|thumb|270px|For the first time, prior to the 2014 election presidential candidates were nominated. This enabled them to present election programmes and campaign for the position (the [[European People's Party|EPP]] campaign bus of [[Jean-Claude Juncker]] depicted).]]
[[File:Debate of lead candidates for the European Commission presidency (40894703423).jpg|alt=The candidates standing onstage|thumb|European Commission presidency candidates at ''[[Eurovision Debate]]'' (May 2019). Left to right: Zahradil, Cué, Keller, Vestager, Timmermans, Weber]]
The [[lead candidate]] ({{langx|de|Spitzenkandidat}}) process is the method of linking the choice of President of the Commission to the outcome of the European Parliament elections, by having each major [[European Political Party]] (not to be confused with the [[Political groups of the European Parliament]]) nominating their candidate for Commission President prior to the Parliamentary elections. The {{lang|de|Spitzenkandidat}} of the largest party (or the one able to secure the support of a majority coalition) would then have a mandate to assume the Commission Presidency. This process was first run in 2014, and its legitimacy was contested by some of the members of the European Council (with the UK and Hungarian Prime Ministers voting against the nomination of the EPP's Spitzenkandidat Jean Claude Juncker (see below)).

==Term of office==
The president is elected for a renewable five-year term starting five months after the [[Elections in the European Union|elections to the]] [[European Parliament]]. These were brought into alignment via the [[Maastricht Treaty]] (prior to which the commission had a four-year term of office) and the elections take place in June every five years (in years ending in 4 and 9).<ref name="Pres R&P">{{Cite web|title=Role and Powers|publisher=[[Europa (web portal)|Europa]]|url=http://ec.europa.eu/commission_barroso/president/personal/role/index_en.htm|access-date=10 January 2008 }}</ref> This alignment has led to a closer relationship between the elections and the president themself with the above-mentioned proposals for political parties running with candidates.

The president and their Commission may be removed from office by a [[Motion of censure|vote of censure]] from Parliament. Parliament has never done this to date; however, the imminence of such a vote in 1999, due to allegations of financial mismanagement, led to the [[Santer Commission]] resigning on its own accord, before the Parliamentary vote.<ref name="EV">{{Cite web |last=Harding |first=Gareth |title=Unfolding drama of the Commission's demise |date=17 March 1999 |publisher=POLITICO |url=https://www.politico.eu/article/unfolding-drama-of-the-commissions-demise/ |access-date= 20 July 2024}}</ref>

==Duties and powers==
{{Politics of the European Union}}
The president of the European Commission is the most powerful position in the European Union,{{sfn|Hix|2008|p=155}} controlling the Commission which collectively has the [[right of initiative (legislative)|right of initiative]] on [[Law of the European Union|Union legislation]] (only on matters delegated to it by member states for collective action, as determined by the treaties) and is responsible for ensuring its enforcement.{{sfn|Hix|2008|p=155}}<ref name="Europa Institutions">{{Cite web|title=Institutions of the EU: The European Commission|publisher=[[Europa (web portal)|Europa]]|url=http://europa.eu/institutions/inst/comm/index_en.htm|access-date=18 June 2007|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070623104055/http://europa.eu/institutions/inst/comm/index_en.htm|archive-date=23 June 2007}}</ref> The president controls the policy agenda of the commission for their term and in practice no policy can be proposed without the president's agreement.{{sfn|Hix|2008|p=155}}

The role of the president is to lead the commission, and give direction to the Commission and the Union as a whole. The treaties state that "the Commission shall work under the political guidance of its president" (Article 219 [[Treaty of Rome|TEC]]), this is conducted through their calling and chairing of meetings of the College of Commissioners,<ref name="Pres R&P"/> their [[Cabinet (European Commission)|personal cabinet]] and the meetings of the heads of each commissioner's cabinet (the Hebdo). {{sfn|Hix|2008|p=155}}<ref name="Pres R&P"/> The president may also force a Commissioner to resign.<ref name="Pres R&P"/> The work of the commission as a body is based on the principle of [[cabinet collective responsibility]]; however, in their powers they act as more than a [[Primus inter pares|first among equals]].<ref name="Pres R&P"/> The role of the president is similar to that of a national prime minister chairing a cabinet.{{sfn|Hix|2008|p=155}}

The president also has responsibility for representing the Commission in the Union and beyond. For example, they are a member of the [[European Council]] and takes part in debates in Parliament and the Council of Ministers. Outside the Union they attend the meetings of the [[G8]] to represent the Union.<ref name="Pres R&P"/> However, in foreign affairs, the president does have to compete with several Commissioners with foreign affairs related portfolios: the [[High Representative for the Common Foreign and Security Policy]] and the [[president of the European Council]].{{sfn|Eppink|2007|pp=232–3}}

The presidential system had started to develop since [[Jacques Delors]] and has since been cemented. However, externally they are still dependent on support from the Council and Parliament. Delors had enjoyed the Parliament's and the council's support for his whole term, during which, through treaty changes, the Parliament increased in powers and, through the accession of new member states, the Council increased in membership. The membership is now so large the president is increasingly unable to garner the support of all the states, even though the job is supposed to try to keep everyone happy. The Parliament now has more powers over the commission and can reject its proposals, although the commission has little power over Parliament, such as the ability to dissolve it to call new elections.{{sfn|Eppink|2007|pp=226–8}}

The president's office is on the top, 13th, floor of the [[Berlaymont building]] in Brussels. The president receives their political guidance from their [[Cabinet (European Commission)|cabinet]], the head of which acts as a political bodyguard for the president. Such factors can lead to an isolation of the president from outside events.{{sfn|Eppink|2007|pp=211–3}} For the [[European Civil Service]] the president has a very high status, due to their immense authority and symbolism within the body.{{sfn|Eppink|2007|p=211}} The president exercises further authority through the [[Directorate-General for Legal Service (European Commission)|legal service]] and [[Secretariat-General of the European Commission|Secretariat-General of the Commission]]. The former has the power to strike down proposals on legal technicalities while the latter organises meetings, [[Agenda (meeting)|agendas]] and minutes. The president's control over these areas gives them further political tools when directing the work of the commission. This has also increased the presidential style of the Commission president.{{sfn|Eppink|2007|pp=217–21}}

With the reorganisation of leading EU posts under the [[Lisbon Treaty]], there was some criticism of each post's vague responsibilities. Ukrainian ambassador to the EU Andriy Veselovsky praised the framework and clarified it in his own terms: The Commission president speaks as the EU's "government" while the [[president of the European Council]] is a "strategist". The High Representative specialises in "bilateral relations" while the [[European Commissioner for Enlargement and European Neighbourhood Policy]] deals in technical matters such as the free trade agreement with Ukraine. The [[president of the European Parliament]] meanwhile articulates the EU's values.<ref name="Ukr">Rettman, Andrew (15 March 2010) [http://euobserver.com/9/29680 Ukraine gives positive appraisal of new-model EU], EU Observer</ref>

The MEP and author of several EU text books [[Richard Corbett]] has suggested that, instead of every EU institution having a "president", it would have been clearer if they had been named differently, with a "Speaker" of the Parliament, a "Governor" of the Central Bank, a "Chairman" of the (ordinary) Council of Ministers, a "president" of the European Council, and a "Prime Commissioner".

===Relationship to the President of the European Council===
[[File:Flickr - europeanpeoplesparty - EPP Summit March 2010 (31).jpg|thumb|Having both a Commission president (Barroso, left) and a European Council president (Van Rompuy, right) led to concerns over confusion and infighting]]
Despite the presidential style, the president has also lost ground to the larger member states as countries such as France, Italy, the UK and Germany sought to sideline its role. This has increased with the creation of the permanent [[president of the European Council]].<ref>{{Cite web|last=Iey Berry |first=Peter Sain |publisher=EU Observer|title=[Comment] Power is, according to some observers, slipping from the Commission to the European Council |date=18 January 2008|url=http://euobserver.com/9/25484 |access-date=18 January 2008}}</ref> There was disagreement and concern over competition between the former president of the European Council Van Rompuy and the former Commission president Barroso due to the vague language of the treaty. Some clarifications saw Van Rompuy as the "strategist" and Barroso as a [[head of government]]. In terms of economic planning Van Rompuy saw the commission as dealing with the content of the plan and the European Council as dealing with the means and implementing it. Despite weekly breakfasts together there was a certain extent of rivalry between the two, as well as with the High Representative.<ref name="Ukr"/><ref name="Duff VR">[[Andrew Duff|Duff, Andrew]] (23 February 2010) [https://www.ft.com/content/913633f6-1f90-11df-8975-00144feab49a Who is Herman Van Rompuy?]</ref><ref name="VanB">{{Cite web|publisher=[[EU Observer]]|title=A Van Barroso?|url=http://blogs.euobserver.com/mahony/2010/04/15/a-van-barroso/|date=15 April 2010|access-date=16 April 2010|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100417113809/http://blogs.euobserver.com/mahony/2010/04/15/a-van-barroso/|archive-date=17 April 2010}}</ref> At international summits, both presidents represented the Union, with, in principle, the Commission president speaking on economic questions and the European Council president on political questions, although this division is often hard to maintain in practice.

Although there are concerns that this competition with the European Council president would lead to increased infighting,<ref name="FG Plan">{{Cite web|last1=Hix|first1=Simon|last2=Roland|first2=Gérard|publisher=[[Foreign Policy Centre]]|title=Why the Franco-German Plan would institutionalise 'cohabitation' for Europe|url=http://fpc.org.uk/articles/201|access-date=1 October 2007 }}</ref> there are provisions for combining the two offices. The European Council president may not hold a national office, such as a prime minister of a member state, but there is no such restraint on European offices. As such, the Commission president, who already sits in the European Council, could also be appointed as its president. This would allow the European Council to combine the position, with its powers, of both executive bodies into a single [[president of the European Union]].<ref name="Constitution">{{Cite web|publisher=[[Europa (web portal)|Europa]]|title=SCADPlus: The Institutions of the Union: European Council|url=http://europa.eu/scadplus/constitution/europeancouncil_en.htm|access-date=27 June 2007|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091221041824/http://europa.eu/scadplus/constitution/europeancouncil_en.htm|archive-date=21 December 2009}}</ref>

==Privileges of office==
[[File:EC Presidents 2024.jpg|thumb|From left to right: Presidents [[José Manuel Barroso|Barroso]], [[Romano Prodi|Prodi]], [[Ursula von der Leyen|Von der Leyen]], [[Jean-Claude Juncker|Juncker]] and [[Jacques Santer|Santer]] in 2024]]
The basic monthly salary of the president is fixed at 138% of the top civil service grade<ref name="Com Emp">[http://eur-lex.europa.eu/LexUriServ/LexUriServ.do?uri=CONSLEG:1967R0422:20040501:EN:PDF REGULATION No 422/67/EEC, 5/67/EURATOM OF THE COUNCIL], EurLex</ref> which, in 2013, amounted to €25,351 per month or €304,212 per year plus an allowance for a residence equal to 15% of salary as well as other allowances including for children's schooling and household expenses.<ref>{{cite news |title=Bureaucracy's Salaries Defended in Europe |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2013/02/05/business/global/eu-officials-salaries-draw-fire.html|newspaper=The New York Times |date=4 February 2014 |access-date=9 June 2014}}</ref>

==List of presidents==
{{See also|High Authority of the European Coal and Steel Community#President|European Atomic Energy Community#President}}
{{Structural evolution of the European Commission}}
The European Economic Community was established by the [[Treaty of Rome]], presently known as the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union; a founding treaty of the union, which explains that the enumeration of presidents which ends with the present position starts with the first president of the Commission of the European Economic Community. The European Union is also the legal successor of the European Economic Community, or the European Community as it was named between 1993 and 2009. The establishment of the [[European Union]] in 1993 upon the entry into force of the [[Maastricht Treaty]] (formally the Treaty on European Union) did not affect the name of the position.

Upon its entry into force in 2009, the [[Treaty of Lisbon]] renamed the Commission of the European Communities the European Commission, reflecting the ''de facto'' name as well as the fact that the [[European Communities]] [[Three pillars of the European Union|pillar]] was abolished along with the rest of the pillar system.

'''Groups'''
*{{legend2|{{party color|European People's Party}}|[[European People's Party|Christian Democrats]] / [[European People's Party]]|border=1px solid #AAAAAA}}
*{{legend2|{{party color|Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe}}|[[European Liberal Democrat and Reform Party Group|Liberals]] / [[European Liberal Democrat and Reform Party Group|Liberal Democrats]] |border=1px solid #AAAAAA}} 
*{{legend2|{{party color|Party of European Socialists}}|[[Party of European Socialists|Socialists]]|border=1px solid #AAAAAA}}
*{{legend2|{{party color|Alliance of European Conservatives and Reformists}}|[[European Progressive Democrats|Progressive Democrats]]|border=1px solid #AAAAAA}}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center; style="width=100%"
|-
! width=1%|N.
! width=10%|Portrait
! width=15%|President<br>{{small|(Born–Died)}}
! width=8%|State
! width=12%|Took office
! width=12%|Left office
! width=10%|Commission
! width=8%|Party
! widht=15% colspan=2|Group
! width=5% |Electoral mandate
! width=5% |Refs

|- style="height:10em;"
!rowspan=2| 1
|rowspan=2| [[File:Walter Hallstein (1957).jpg|130px]]
|rowspan=2| '''[[Walter Hallstein]]'''<br /><small>(1901–1982)</small>
|rowspan=2| {{flag|West Germany}}
|1 January 1958
|5 July 1967
|rowspan=2| [[Hallstein Commission|Hallstein]]
|rowspan=2| [[Christian Democratic Union (Germany)|CDU]]
!rowspan=2 style="background:{{party color|European People's Party}};" |
|rowspan=2| [[European People's Party group|Christian Democrats]]
|rowspan=2 bgcolor=#EEEEEE|–
|rowspan=2| <ref>[https://www.europarl.europa.eu/RegData/etudes/BRIE/2019/637982/EPRS_BRI(2019)637982_EN.pdf Walter Hallstein – First President of the Commission and visionary of European integration], ''European Union History Series''</ref>
|- style="height:4em;"
|colspan=2 bgcolor=#EEEEEE| {{age in years and days|1958|1|1|1967|7|5}}

|- style="height:10em;"
!rowspan=2| 2
|rowspan=2| [[File:Jean Rey 1966 (cropped).jpg|130px]]
|rowspan=2| '''[[Jean Rey (politician)|Jean Rey]]'''<br /><small>(1902–1983)</small>
|rowspan=2| {{flag|Belgium}}
| 6 July 1967
| 1 July 1970
|rowspan=2| [[Rey Commission|Rey]]
|rowspan=2| [[Party for Freedom and Progress|PLP]]
!rowspan=2 style="background:{{party color|Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe}};" |
|rowspan=2| [[European Liberal Democrat and Reform Party Group|Liberals]]
|rowspan=2 bgcolor=#EEEEEE|–
|rowspan=2| <ref>{{Cite web|url=https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/DE/TXT/PDF/?uri=CELEX:41967D0447|title=Ernennung der Mitglieder sowie des Präsidenten und der Vizepräsidenten der Kommission der Europäischen Gemeinschaften (67/447/EWG) (67/31/Euratom)}}</ref>
|- style="height:4em;"
|colspan=2 bgcolor=#EEEEEE| {{age in years and days|1967|7|6|1970|7|2}}

|- style="height:10em;"
!rowspan=2| 3
|rowspan=2| [[File:Franco Maria Malfatti crop.jpg|130px]]
|rowspan=2| '''[[Franco Maria Malfatti]]'''<br /><small>(1927–1991)</small>
|rowspan=2| {{flag|Italy}}
| 2 July 1970
| 21 March 1972
|rowspan=2| [[Malfatti Commission|Malfatti]]
|rowspan=2| [[Christian Democracy (Italy)|DC]]
!rowspan=2 style="background:{{party color|European People's Party}};" |
|rowspan=2| [[European People's Party group|Christian Democrats]]
|rowspan=2 bgcolor=#EEEEEE|–
|rowspan=2| <ref>{{Cite web|url=https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/DE/TXT/PDF/?uri=CELEX:41970D0351|title=BESCHLUSS der Vertreter der Regierungen der Mitgliedstaaten der Europäischen Gemeinschaften vom 29. Mai 1970 über die Ernennung der Mitglieder der Kommission (70/351/EGKS, EWG, Euratom)}}</ref>
|- style="height:4em;"
|colspan=2 bgcolor=#EEEEEE| {{age in years and days|1970|7|2|1972|3|22}}

|- style="height:10em;"
!rowspan=2| 4
|rowspan=2| [[File:Sicco Mansholt 1962.jpg|130px]]
|rowspan=2| '''[[Sicco Mansholt]]'''<br /><small>(1908–1995)</small>
|rowspan=2| {{flag|Netherlands}}
| 22 March 1972
| 5 January 1973
|rowspan=2| [[Mansholt Commission|Mansholt]]
|rowspan=2| [[Labour Party (Netherlands)|PvdA]]
!rowspan=2 style="background:{{party color|Party of European Socialists}};" |
|rowspan=2| [[Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats|Socialists]]
|rowspan=2 bgcolor=#EEEEEE|–
|rowspan=2| <ref>{{Cite web|url=https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/DE/TXT/PDF/?uri=CELEX:41972D0149|title=BESCHLUSS der Vertreter der Regierungen der Mitgliedstaaten der Europäischen Gemeinschaften vom 21. März 1972 über die Ernennung des Präsidenten und eines Vizepräsidenten der Kommission der Europäischen Gemeinschaften (72/149/Euratom, EGKS, EWG)}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/DE/TXT/PDF/?uri=CELEX:41972D0150|title=BESCHLUSS der Vertreter der Regierungen der Mitgliedstaaten der Europäischen Gemeinschaften vom 21. März 1972 über die Ernennung eines Mitglieds der Kommission der Europäischen Gemeinschaften (72/150/Euratom, EGKS, EWG)}}</ref>
|- style="height:4em;"
|colspan=2 bgcolor=#EEEEEE| {{age in years and days|1972|3|22|1973|1|6}}

|- style="height:10em;"
!rowspan=2| 5
|rowspan=2| [[File:FGO Portrait 1973.jpg|130px]]
|rowspan=2| '''[[François-Xavier Ortoli]]'''<br /><small>(1925–2007)</small>
|rowspan=2| {{flag|France}}
| 6 January 1973
| 5 January 1977
|rowspan=2| [[Ortoli Commission|Ortoli]]
|rowspan=2| [[Union of Democrats for the Republic|UDR]]
!rowspan=2 style="background:{{party color|Alliance of European Conservatives and Reformists}};" |
|rowspan=2| [[European Progressive Democrats|Progressive Democrats]]
|rowspan=2 bgcolor=#EEEEEE|–
|rowspan=2| <ref>{{Cite web|url=https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/PDF/?uri=CELEX:41973D0101(02)|title=Decision of the Representatives of the Governments of the Member States of the European Communities of 1 January 1973 appointing the President and Vice-Presidents of the Commission}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/PDF/?uri=CELEX:41975D0001|title=Decision of the Representatives of the Governments of the Member States of the European Communities of 19 December 1974 on the appointment of the President of the Commission (75/1/Euratom, ECSC, EEC)}}</ref>
|- style="height:4em;"
|colspan=2 bgcolor=#EEEEEE| 4 years

|- style="height:10em;"
!rowspan=2| 6
|rowspan=2| [[File:Roy Jenkins 1977 (cropped).jpg|130px]]
|rowspan=2| '''[[Roy Jenkins]]'''<br /><small>(1920–2003)</small>
|rowspan=2| {{flag|United Kingdom}}
| 6 January 1977
| 5 January 1981
|rowspan=2| [[Jenkins Commission (EU)|Jenkins]]
|rowspan=2| [[Labour Party (UK)|Labour]]
!rowspan=2 style="background:{{party color|Party of European Socialists}};" |
|rowspan=2| [[Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats|Socialists]]
|bgcolor=#EEEEEE|–
|rowspan=2| <ref>{{Cite web|url=https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/PDF/?uri=CELEX:41976D0918|title=Decision of the Representatives of the Governments of the Member States of the European Communities of 20 December 1976 appointing the President and Vice-Presidents of the Commission of the European Communities (76/918/ECSC, EEC, Euratom)}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/PDF/?uri=CELEX:41979D0001|title=Decision of the Representatives of the Governments of the Member States of the European Communities of 19 December 1978 on the appointment of the President and Vice-Presidents of the Commission of the European Communities (79/1/ECSC, EEC, Euratom)}}</ref>
|- style="height:4em;"
|colspan=2 bgcolor=#EEEEEE| 4 years
|rowspan=3 bgcolor=#EEEEEE|[[1979 European Parliament election|1979]]

|- style="height:10em;"
!rowspan=2| 7
|rowspan=2| [[File:Thorn EC Portrait 1980.jpg|130px]]
|rowspan=2| '''[[Gaston Thorn]]'''<br /><small>(1928–2007)</small>
|rowspan=2| {{flag|Luxembourg}}
| 6 January 1981
| 5 January 1985
|rowspan=2| [[Thorn Commission|Thorn]]
|rowspan=2| [[Democratic Party (Luxembourg)|DP]]
!rowspan=2 style="background:{{party color|Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe}};" |
|rowspan=2| [[European Liberal Democrat and Reform Party Group|Liberal Democrats]]
|rowspan=2| <ref>{{Cite web|url=https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/PDF/?uri=CELEX:41981D0004|title=Decision of the Representatives of the Governments of the Member States of the European Communities of 1 January 1981 appointing the President of the Commission of the European Communities (81/4/Euratom, ECSC, EEC)}}</ref>
|- style="height:4em;"
|colspan=2 bgcolor=#EEEEEE| 4 years

|- style="height:10em;"
!rowspan=2| 8
|rowspan=2| [[File:Jacques Delors (1993) (cropped).jpg|130px]]
|rowspan=2| '''[[Jacques Delors]]'''<br /><small>(1925–2023)</small>
|rowspan=2| {{flag|France}}
| 6 January 1985
| 22 January 1995
|rowspan=2| [[Delors Commission|Delors]]
|rowspan=2| [[Socialist Party (France)|PS]]
!rowspan=2 style="background:{{party color|Party of European Socialists}};" |
|rowspan=2| [[Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats|Socialists]]
|rowspan=2 bgcolor=#EEEEEE|[[1984 European Parliament election|1984]]<br>[[1989 European Parliament election|1989]]
|rowspan=2| <ref>{{Cite web|url=https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/PDF/?uri=CELEX:41984D0652|title=Decision of the Representatives of the Governments of the Member States of the European Communities of 4 December 1984 appointing the President of the Commission of the European Communities (84/652/Euratom, ECSC, EEC)}}</ref>
|- style="height:4em;"
|colspan=2 bgcolor=#EEEEEE| {{age in years and days|1985|1|6|1995|1|23}}

|- style="height:10em;"
!rowspan=2| 9
|rowspan=2| [[File:Jacques Santer 1995.jpg|130px]]
|rowspan=2| '''[[Jacques Santer]]'''<br /><small>(born 1937)</small>
|rowspan=2| {{flag| Luxembourg}}
| 23 January 1995
| 15 March 1999{{efn |1=Santer resigned before his mandate expired. His commission served in caretaker capacity under Marín till September. Replaced by Prodi, who completed Santer's mandate to 22 January 2000, when they were reappointed on their own mandate.}}
|rowspan=4| [[Santer Commission|Santer]]
|rowspan=2| [[Christian Social People's Party|CSV]]
!rowspan=2 style="background:{{party color|European People's Party}};" |
|rowspan=2| [[European People's Party group|European People's Party]]
|rowspan=4 bgcolor=#EEEEEE|[[1994 European Parliament election|1994]]
|rowspan=2| <ref>{{Cite web|url=https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/PDF/?uri=CELEX:41995D0012|title=Decision of the Representatives of the Governments of the Member States of the European Communities of 23 January 1995 appointing the President and the Members of the Commission of the European Communities (95/12/EC, Euratom, ECSC)}}</ref>
|- style="height:4em;"
|colspan=2 bgcolor=#EEEEEE| {{age in years and days|1995|1|23|1999|3|15}}

|- style="height:10em;"
!rowspan=2| –
|rowspan=2| [[File:Manuel Marin 1996 (cropped).jpg|130px]]
|rowspan=2| '''[[Manuel Marín]]''' <br /><small>(1949–2017)<br />''acting''</small>
|rowspan=2| {{flag|Spain}}
| 15 March 1999 
| 15 September 1999
|rowspan=2| [[Spanish Socialist Workers' Party|PSOE]]
!rowspan=2 style="background:{{party color|Party of European Socialists}};" |
|rowspan=2| [[Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats|Socialists]]
|rowspan=2| <ref>[https://www.euractiv.com/section/politics/news/father-of-eus-erasmus-programme-manuel-marin-dies/ 'Father' of EU's Erasmus programme Manuel Marín dies], ''Euractiv''</ref>
|- style="height:4em;"
|colspan=2 bgcolor=#EEEEEE| {{age in years and days|1999|3|15|1999|9|16}}

|- style="height:10em;"
!rowspan=2| 10
|rowspan=2| [[File:Romano Prodi 1999 (cropped).jpg|130px]]
|rowspan=2| '''[[Romano Prodi]]'''<br /><small>(born 1939)</small>
|rowspan=2| {{flag|Italy}}
| 16 September 1999
| 21 November 2004
|rowspan=2| [[Prodi Commission|Prodi]]
|rowspan=2| [[The Democrats (Italy)|Democrats]]
!rowspan=2 style="background:{{party color|Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe}};" |
|rowspan=2| [[European Liberal Democrat and Reform Party Group|Liberal Democrats]]
|rowspan=2 bgcolor=#EEEEEE|[[1999 European Parliament election|1999]]
|rowspan=2| <ref>[https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/PDF/?uri=CELEX:41999D0627 Decision of the Representatives of the Governments of the Member States of the European Communities of 15 September 1999 appointing the President and the Members of the Commission of the European Communities (1999/627/EC, ECSC, Euratom)]</ref>
|- style="height:4em;"
|colspan=2 bgcolor=#EEEEEE| {{age in years and days|1999|9|16|2004|11|21}}

|- style="height:10em;"
!rowspan=2| 11
|rowspan=2| [[File:Barroso EC Portrait 2005 (cropped).jpg|130px]]
|rowspan=2| '''[[José Manuel Barroso]]'''<br /><small>(born 1956)</small>
|rowspan=2| {{flag|Portugal}}
| 22 November 2004
| 31 October 2014
|rowspan=2| [[Barroso Commission|Barroso]]
|rowspan=2| [[Social Democratic Party (Portugal)|PSD]]
!rowspan=2 style="background:{{party color|European People's Party}};" |
|rowspan=2| [[European People's Party group|European People's Party]]
|rowspan=2 bgcolor=#EEEEEE|[[2004 European Parliament election|2004]]<br>[[2009 European Parliament election|2009]]
|rowspan=2| <ref>{{Cite web|url=https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/PDF/?uri=CELEX:32004D0780|title=COUNCIL DECISION of 19 November 2004 appointing the President and Members of the Commission of the European Communities (2004/780/EC, Euratom)}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://eur-lex.europa.eu/LexUriServ/LexUriServ.do?uri=OJ:L:2010:038:0007:0008:EN:PDF|title=DECISION OF THE EUROPEAN COUNCIL of 9 February 2010 appointing the European Commission (2010/80/EU)}}</ref>
|- style="height:4em;"
|colspan=2 bgcolor=#EEEEEE| {{age in years and days|2004|11|22|2014|11|1}}

|- style="height:10em;"
!rowspan=2| 12
|rowspan=2| [[File:Juncker EP 2015.jpg|130px]]
|rowspan=2| '''[[Jean-Claude Juncker]]'''<br /><small>(born 1954)</small>
|rowspan=2| {{flag|Luxembourg}}
| 1 November 2014 
| 30 November 2019
|rowspan=2| [[Juncker Commission|Juncker]]
|rowspan=2| [[Christian Social People's Party|CSV]]
!rowspan=2 style="background:{{party color|European People's Party}};" |
|rowspan=2| [[European People's Party group|European People's Party]]
|rowspan=2 bgcolor=#EEEEEE|[[2014 European Parliament election|2014]]
|rowspan=2| <ref>[https://ec.europa.eu/commission/sites/beta-political/files/review-juncker-commission-brochure.pdf Juncker Commission], ''European Commission''</ref><ref>[https://www.euractiv.com/topics/juncker-commission/ Juncker Commission], ''Euractiv''</ref>
|- style="height:4em;"
|colspan=2 bgcolor=#EEEEEE| {{age in years and days|2014|11|1|2019|11|30}}

|- style="height:10em;"
!rowspan=2| 13
|rowspan=2| [[File:Ursula von der Leyen 2024.jpg|130px]]
|rowspan=2| '''[[Ursula von der Leyen]]'''<br /><small>(born 1958)</small>
|rowspan=2| {{flag|Germany}}
|1 December 2019
| ''Incumbent''
|rowspan=2| [[Von der Leyen Commission I|Von der Leyen I]] · [[von der Leyen Commission II|II]]
|rowspan=2| [[Christian Democratic Union of Germany|CDU]]
!rowspan=2 style="background:{{party color|European People's Party}};" |
|rowspan=2| [[European People's Party group|European People's Party]]
|rowspan=2 bgcolor=#EEEEEE|[[2019 European Parliament election|2019]]<br/>[[2024 European Parliament election|2024]]
|rowspan=2| <ref>[https://ec.europa.eu/commission/commissioners/2019-2024/president_en Von der Leyen Commission], ''European Commission''</ref><ref>[https://www.euractiv.com/topics/von-der-leyen-commission/ Von der Leyen Commission], ''Euractiv''</ref>
|- style="height:4em;"
|colspan=2 bgcolor=#EEEEEE| {{age in years and days|2019|12|1}}
|-
|}

===Timeline===
{{#tag:timeline|
ImageSize  = width:875 height:auto barincrement:14
PlotArea   = top:10 bottom:80 right:130 left:20
AlignBars  = late

Colors     =

  id:EPP    value:rgb(0.200,0.600,0.999)  legend:Christian_Democrat
  id:PES    value:rgb(0.941,0.000,0.110)  legend:Socialist
  id:ALDE   value:rgb(0.999,0.835,0.000)  legend:Liberal
  id:EPD    value:rgb(0.000,0.329,0.647)  legend:Conservative
  id:gray1  value:gray(0.85)
  id:gray2  value:gray(0.95)
  id:grid   value:gray(0.5)

DateFormat = dd/mm/yyyy
Period     = from:01/01/1958 till:{{#time:d/m/Y}}
TimeAxis   = orientation:horizontal
ScaleMajor = gridcolor:gray1 unit:year increment:5 start:1960
ScaleMinor = gridcolor:gray2 unit:year increment:1 start:1958

Legend     = columns:1 left:205 top:35 columnwidth:75

BarData    =
  barset:PM

TextData   =
  pos:(20,27) textcolor:black fontsize:M
  text:"Political parties:"

PlotData   =
  width:5 align:left fontsize:S shift:(5,-4) anchor:till
  barset:PM

 from: 01/01/1958 till: 30/06/1967 color:EPP text:"[[Walter Hallstein|Hallstein]]" fontsize:10
 from: 30/06/1967 till: 01/07/1970 color:ALDE text:"[[Jean Rey (politician)|Rey]]" fontsize:10
 from: 01/07/1970 till: 01/03/1972 color:EPP text:"[[Franco Maria Malfatti|Malfatti]]" fontsize:10
 from: 01/03/1972 till: 05/01/1973 color:PES text:"[[Sicco Mansholt|Mansholt]]" fontsize:10
 from: 05/01/1973 till: 05/01/1977 color:EPD text:"[[François-Xavier Ortoli|Ortoli]]" fontsize:10
 from: 05/01/1977 till: 19/01/1981 color:PES text:"[[Roy Jenkins|Jenkins]]" fontsize:10
 from: 19/01/1981 till: 06/01/1985 color:ALDE text:"[[Gaston Thorn|Thorn]]" fontsize:10
 from: 06/01/1985 till: 24/01/1995 color:PES text:"[[Jacques Delors|Delors]]" fontsize:10
 from: 24/01/1995 till: 15/03/1999 color:EPP text:"[[Jacques Santer|Santer]]" fontsize:10
 from: 15/03/1999 till: 17/09/1999 color:PES text:"[[Manuel Marín|Marín]]" fontsize:10
 from: 17/09/1999 till: 22/11/2004 color:ALDE text:"[[Romano Prodi|Prodi]]" fontsize:10
 from: 22/11/2004 till: 01/11/2014 color:EPP text:"[[José Manuel Barroso|Barroso]]" fontsize:10
 from: 01/11/2014 till: 30/11/2019 color:EPP text:"[[Jean-Claude Juncker|Juncker]]" fontsize:10
 from: 01/12/2019 till: end color:EPP text:"[[Ursula von der Leyen|von der Leyen]]" fontsize:10
}}

==See also==
*[[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]]

==Footnotes==
{{Notelist}}

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==Sources==
* {{Cite book |last=Eppink |first=Derk-Jan |author-link=Derk Jan Eppink |translator-first=Ian |translator-last=Connerty |title=Life of a European Mandarin: Inside the Commission |publisher=Lannoo |edition=1st |location=Tielt, Belgium |date=2007 |isbn=978-90-209-7022-7 |url=https://archive.org/details/lifeofeuropeanma00eppi }}
* {{Cite book |last=Hix |first=Simon |title=What's wrong with the EU and how to fix it |publisher=Polity |location=Cambridge, United Kingdom |date=2008 |isbn=978-0-7456-4205-5 |url=https://archive.org/details/whatswrongwitheu00hixs }}
*{{cite journal
| first1 =John
| last1 =Cotter
| first2 =Graham
| last2 =Butler
| date=2024
| title =The President of the European Commission and the Power to Request a Commissioner's Resignation
| journal =[[Common Market Law Review]]
| volume =61
| issue =3
| pages =593–622
| doi=10.54648/cola2024044
| s2cid =
| url =https://kluwerlawonline.com/journalarticle/Common+Market+Law+Review/61.3/COLA2024044
| url-access =subscription
}}

==External links==
*[http://ec.europa.eu/commission/2014-2019/president_en Commission President] (official website)
*[https://archive.today/20130106150013/http://www.terra.es/personal2/monolith/eu.htm Terms of office]
*[http://www.cvce.eu/obj/organisation_of_the_european_commission-en-20815dc5-fe28-4edf-84d1-4d1fd75cdeaa.html Organisation of the European Commission] [[Centre virtuel de la connaissance sur l'Europe|CVCE]] (Previously : European NAvigator)
*[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dhafgcPeXes Presidential candidates debate 2014]

{{Presidents of European Commissions|state=collapsed}}
{{CommissionPortfolios}}
{{European Council}}
{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:President Of The European Commission}}
[[Category:Presidents of the European Commission| ]]
[[Category:Portfolios in the European Commission| ]]
[[Category:Lists of European Union people|Commission, President]]
[[Category:1958 establishments in Europe]]

[[vi:Danh sách chủ tịch Ủy ban châu Âu]]