EU nominates first woman to lead commission

Germany's Defence Minister Ursula von der Leyen could lead the European Commission

EU leaders struck a deal on the bloc's top jobs with German Defence Minister Ursula von der Leyen getting the powerful European Commission chief. AFP

EU leaders have nominated people for its four top jobs, including a woman, to head the European Commission.

After a tense three-day negotiation, German Defence Minister Ursula von der Leyen has been nominated to replace Jean-Claude Juncker as president of the bloc's powerful executive arm for the next five years.

The role of head of the European Council will be filled by Belgian Prime Minister Charles Michel starting in autumn, the current president, Donald Tusk, said.

International Monetary Fund Managing Director Christine Lagarde has been named to succeed European Central Bank chief Mario Draghi, whose eight-year term ends in November.

On Tuesday Ms Lagarde announced she would step down temporarily from the leadership of the global crisis lender during the nomination period.

Should her bid be successful, she will step down two years before the end of her second five-year term at the helm of the IMF.

Spain's acting foreign minister, socialist Josep Borrell, would be the EU's new foreign policy director in Brussels if elected.

All of those nominated, except for Mr Michel, must be confirmed by a European Parliament vote. The assembly sits in Strasbourg, France on Wednesday to elect its own new president.

Several members have objected to the leaders' nominations, and it remains to be seen whether the Parliament will hold new influence after the huge turnout for European elections in May.

Party leaders have said the vote has brought the assembly, the EU's only elected institution, even more democratic legitimacy.

"It won't be easy in Parliament," said Mr Juncker, who steps down on October 31 as head of the body that proposes and enforces EU laws.

Already plagued by crises including Brexit and deep divisions among nations over how best to manage migration, the leaders had been keen to show that they could make quick decisions and that the European project remained important to its citizens.

But they struggled to establish a delicate balance between population size and geography, an even mix of countries from the north and south, east and west, and ensure that at least two women were nominated.