This archive report was first published on 29 November 2019.
On November 29, 2019, Charles Michel officially took over as the President of the European Council, succeeding Donald Tusk in a ceremony at the EU headquarters in Brussels.
As part of a wider transition, the European Commission, the EU's executive arm, will also be led by Ursula von der Leyen from next week.
Michel, a 43-year-old former prime minister of Belgium, praised Tusk's efforts in maintaining European unity over the past five years, despite challenges such as Brexit, migration crises, and financial tribulations.
However, he emphasized the need for the EU to become more assertive globally, particularly in building common defence and security structures.
"We live in peace, but we must remain vigilant, very vigilant," Michel said, echoing the ambitions of French President Emmanuel Macron to give Europe defence capabilities that match its economic weight.
The European Union is increasingly caught in trade tensions between the US and China, dealing with a forceful Russia, and security threats that cannot be addressed by NATO alone.
Michel also pledged to make Europe the global leader of the green movement, aligning with von der Leyen's commitment to tackle climate change.
Tusk, 62 and a former premier of Poland, was applauded by EU staff for so long that he asked them to stop, saying he would start to cry.
He will now lead the European People's Party, the biggest grouping in the European Parliament, and has said his mandate tackling various crises reflected a quote by filmmaker Alfred Hitchcock.
