This archive report was first published on 3 July 2019.
On July 3, 2019, European Union leaders announced their nominations for the bloc's top jobs, marking a significant shift in the EU's leadership.
Ursula von der Leyen, the German Defence Minister, was chosen to replace Jean-Claude Juncker as the European Commission chief, making her the first woman to hold the position.
Christine Lagarde, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) chief, was nominated to head the European Central Bank (ECB), becoming the first woman to hold the role.
The nominations were the result of days of intense negotiations among EU leaders, who were tasked with selecting five individuals for the top jobs.
Belgian liberal Prime Minister Charles Michel was nominated to replace European Council President Donald Tusk, while Spain's Josep Borrell was proposed as foreign policy chief.
The president of the European Parliament will be chosen on Wednesday, with possible candidates including German centre-right MEP Manfred Weber and Bulgarian socialist Sergei Stanishev.
Most of the roles must be ratified by the European Parliament, with the exception of the European Commission chief, who will be confirmed by the European Parliament.
"We have agreed the whole package before the first session of the European Parliament," said Donald Tusk.
French President Emmanuel Macron praised the nominations, saying they were "the fruit of a deep Franco-German entente".
Irish Prime Minister Leo Varadkar welcomed the nomination of two women for key jobs, saying it sent a powerful message about the EU's commitment to gender equality.
