Image copyright Reuters Image caption Ursula von der Leyen was backed by Angela Merkel but there was resistance to her nomination within the German coalition

EU leaders have put forward their nominations for the bloc's top jobs, with a woman for the first time proposed as European Commission chief.

The surprise choice of German Defence Minister Ursula von der Leyen to replace Jean-Claude Juncker came after the main front-runners were rejected.

IMF chief Christine Lagarde has been nominated as the first woman to head the European Central Bank (ECB).

The announcement follows days of difficult negotiations.

In all, EU leaders were tasked with nominating five people for the top jobs.

Belgian liberal Prime Minister Charles Michel is nominated to replace European Council President Donald Tusk while Spain's Josep Borrell is proposed as foreign policy chief.

The fifth key role - president of the European Parliament - is to be chosen on Wednesday. Possible candidates include German centre-right MEP Manfred Weber and Bulgarian socialist Sergei Stanishev.

Most of the roles must be ratified by the European Parliament.

Is everyone happy with the choices?

"We have agreed the whole package before the first session of the European Parliament," said Mr Tusk.

He said Germany had abstained on Mrs von der Leyen's nomination over coalition issues but pointed out that Chancellor Angela Merkel herself had backed her.

French President Emmanuel Macron said the nominations were "the fruit of a deep Franco-German entente".

"Von der Leyen is a very good candidate and a very good choice to head the European Commission," he told reporters, adding that Ms Lagarde's "capacities and competences... totally qualified her" for the ECB.

Media playback is unsupported on your device Media caption Donald Tusk announces choices for top European Commission jobs

Irish Prime Minister Leo Varadkar said the nomination of two women for key jobs sent a powerful message that the EU was leading the way towards gender equality.

However, there were concerns that the European Parliament's own contest for the main job - the "Spitzenkandidaten" (lead candidate) process - had been cast aside. Neither the winner of that process, Manfred Weber of Germany, nor other frontrunners were selected by EU leaders.

"You have to compromise in politics," Mr Varadkar insisted, adding that the centre-right Mr Weber would most likely be given the shared presidency of the European Parliament along with a Socialist figure.

There was also surprise that four of the main jobs had gone to Western Europeans, with no nominations from Eastern Europe.

However, the eastern states are thought to have been strongly behind Mrs von der Leyen's nomination, having rejected a compromise involving Dutch Labour leader Frans Timmermans the night before.

Days of indecision reveal EU power shift

Ursula von der Leyen - if confirmed as new European Commission president - will not bring winds of change to Brussels. She's loyal to the German Chancellor Angela Merkel, a true Christian Democrat and a conservative Europhile.

As for Brexit, remember, the European Commission negotiated on behalf of EU member states. Those negotiations ended when the UK government signed off on the Brexit Withdrawal Agreement back in November.

The only ones now with the legal power to change or add to the text are EU national leaders, not the commission. And what these days of indecision among national leaders over these top EU jobs have shown us is that while France and Germany are still powerful, they are not all-powerful in EU circles any more.

Chancellor Merkel and President Macron were unable to impose on others the EU job allocation plan agreed between them at the G20. Something for the new UK prime minister to consider, perhaps, ahead of planning trips to Berlin and Paris to request a renegotiation of the Brexit deal.

The nominees in full

Ursula von der Leyen - European Commission president

Image copyright EPA

What's the job? The EU commission president heads the executive branch, sets the policy agenda and controls a cabinet of commissioners.

Who is she? Born in Brussels, Mrs von der Leyen, 60, and her family moved to Germany when she was 13. She studied economics at London's LSE and medicine in Hanover before going into politics.

She has been a member of Mrs Merkel's conservative Christian Democrats (CDU) since 2005.

If Mrs von der Leyen is confirmed in the role it would be the first time in more than 60 years that a German has been given the post.

Christine Lagarde - head of the European Central Bank

Image copyright AFP

What's the job? Running the ECB, which is responsible for the euro and the monetary policy of the eurozone. The role is currently filled by Mario Draghi, who was widely credited with saving the euro during the eurozone debt crisis.

Who is she? Ms Lagarde, 63, who is French, was the first woman to head the International Monetary Fund (IMF) when she took the job in 2011.

She studied in the US before graduating from law school in Paris and obtaining a Masters degree from the Political Science Institute in Aix en Provence

She was appointed France's trade minister in 2005 and finance minister in 2007.

Charles Michel - European Council president

Image copyright Reuters

What's the job? Chairs the body made up of the leaders of EU member states which defines the EU's political direction.

Who is he? In 2014 Mr Michel at the age of 38 became Belgium's youngest prime minister since 1841.

He has been a lawyer at the Brussels Bar since 1998 and a member of the Belgian parliament since 1999.

Mr Michel's father, Louis Michel, has also been a prominent politician and an MEP.

Josep Borrell - EU foreign policy chief

Image copyright EPA

What's the job? Co-ordinating and representing foreign and security policy for the EU. The brief is currently held by Italy's Federica Mogherini.

Who is he? The 72-year-old Spanish foreign minister is set to make a return to the top tier of EU politics after serving as European Parliament president from 2004 to 2007.

He began his career as a member of the Spanish Socialist Party in 1975 and has a reputation for plain speaking. </s> BERLIN (Reuters) - Germany’s Defence Minister Ursula von der Leyen is being touted by Donald Tusk, the president of the European Council, as a potential successor to Jean-Claude Juncker as head of the European Commission, Die Welt reported on Tuesday.

According to the newspaper, the conservative von der Leyen, a close ally of Chancellor Angela Merkel, would be the president of the bloc’s executive. Christine Lagarde, currently head of the International Monetary Fund, was being considered for the presidency of the European Central Bank, it added.

Other candidates being discussed included Belgium’s Prime Minister Charles Michel as a possible successor to Tusk as European Council president, the newspaper said. Slovakia’s Maros Sefcovic was being considered for the role of EU foreign policy head, it added. </s> Ursula von der Leyen has been confirmed as the new European Commission President.

The European Parliament voted 383-327 with 22 abstentions on to approve Ms von der Leyen’s nomination. The confirmation required an absolute majority of 374 votes.

She said: “I feel so honoured and I am overwhelmed. The task ahead of us humbles me.”

The outgoing German defence minister was nominated by EU leaders as part over an overall appointments package, but still needed the backing of the parliament.

She was a last-minute candidate and many MEPs were angry none of their lead candidates were picked for the job.

She said: “My message to all of you is: let us work together constructively.”

Ms Von der Leyen set out her political objectives on a greener, gender-equal Europe where the rule of law continues to hold sway earlier in the day.

Her approval was a key part in the package of top jobs that EU leaders agreed upon early this month.

Under the deal, the free-market liberal Renew Europe group got Belgian Prime Minister Charles Michel as European Council President and the Socialists won the top parliament job. France’s Christine Lagarde was put forward as head of the European Central Bank.

Ms Von der Leyen told MEPs in Strasbourg that the gender element will be an essential part of her job.

“I will ensure full gender equality” in her team of 28 commissioners.

Pointing out that since its inception in 1958, less than 20% of commissioners had been women, she said: “We represent half of our population. We want our fair share.”

Prior to the vote, some MEPs voiced their anger that they were sidelined in the appointment process. Their candidates for the commission post, arguably the most important of all the jobs, were all rejected by the EU leaders. </s> Italian Sassoli for the EP, French Lagarde candidate for the ECB, German Ursula von der Leyen candidate for the EC

Belgian Prime Minister Charles Michel was named the new president of the European Council

David-Maria Sassoli, an Italian politician from the Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats has been elected the European Parliament President.

The European Parliament had to hold a second round of voting for the president, because none of the four candidates secured a majority in the first round.

Christine Lagarde of the International Monetary Fund was submitted as a candidate for president of the European Central Bank (ECB).

Her nomination will need the support of the European Parliament and the ECB’s Governing Council.

Belgian Prime Minister Charles Michel was named the new president of the European Council.

The European Council chose the German Defence Minister Ursula von der Leyen as a candidate for president of the European Commission but she needs the majority of the European Parliament at the July 16th voting to head the EC. </s> Brussels: After three days of arduous negotiations, European Union leaders have broken a deadlock and nominated German Defence Minister Ursula von der Leyen to become the new president of the bloc's powerful executive arm, the European Commission.

She will take over from Jean-Claude Juncker for the next five years.

European Council president Donald Tusk said in a series of tweets on Tuesday that Belgian Prime Minister Charles Michel would take over from him in the (northern) autumn.

Frenchwoman Christine Lagarde was proposed as president of the European Central Bank, while Spanish Foreign Minister Josep Borrell was nominated to become EU foreign policy chief, meaning he would be charged with supervising the Iran nuclear deal, among other duties. </s> After three days of arduous negotiations, European Union leaders broke a deadlock Tuesday and nominated German Defence Minister Ursula von der Leyen to become the new president of the bloc’s powerful executive arm, the European Commission, and take over from Jean-Claude Juncker for the next five years.

European Council President Donald Tusk said in a series of tweets that Belgian Prime Minister Charles Michel would take over from him in the fall.

Frenchwoman Christine Lagarde was proposed as president of the European Central Bank, while Spanish Foreign Minister Josep Borrell was nominated to become EU foreign policy chief, meaning he would be charged with supervising the Iran nuclear deal, among other duties.

Only Mr. Michel can take up his post in November without other formalities. The others, notably Ms. von der Leyen, must be endorsed by the European Parliament. The assembly sits in Strasbourg, France on Wednesday to elect its own new president.

“It is important that we were able to decide with great unity today, and that is important because it’s about our future ability to work.” German Chancellor Angela Merkel told reporters after the nominations decided away from the cameras and media in a long series of meetings were made public.

Several lawmakers have already objected to the leaders’ package of nominations, and it remains to be seen whether the parliament will flex new found muscles following the massive turnout for EU-wide 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 Oct. 31 as head of the commission, which proposes and enforces EU laws.

Mr. Tusk said “it was worth waiting for such an outcome” and that he would do his best to explain to what could well be a tetchy parliament on Thursday how the nominations were made and what thought processes went into the move.

“It’s always a huge question mark. This is why we have parliaments,” Mr. Tusk said, with a wry smile.

Ms. Von der Leyen would be the first woman in the commission job, and Ms. Merkel said this is “a good sign.”

So would Ms. Lagarde currently chair of the International Monetary Fund and she would serve for up to eight years if her nomination is endorsed.

“That’s a very important statement that Europe leads on gender equality,” Irish Prime Minister Leo Varadkar said.

“It might have taken three days, but it’s a good outcome overall,” he told reporters.

The nominations came after one of the longest summits in recent years, outstripping even all-night negotiations during the Greek debt crisis.

Already plagued by crises like Brexit and deep divisions among nations over how best to manage migration, the leaders had been keen to show that they could take quick decisions and that the European project remains 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. Tusk he said he hoped that someone from a central or eastern European member state would be voted in as president of the European Parliament.

Despite deep tensions, some tantrums by leaders behind the scenes and even public criticism of his handling of the summit, Tusk said- “Five years ago we needed three months to decide, and still some leaders were against. This year it was three days and nobody was against.” </s> David-Maria Sassoli, an Italian politician from the Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats has been elected the European Parliament President.

​In the first round of voting, Sassoli received 325 votes. Jan Zahradil, a Czech politician from the European Conservatives and Reformists, received 162 votes. Ska Keller, a German politician of the Greens, secured 133 votes. Spaniard Sira Rego of the European United Left-Nordic Green Left garnered 42 votes.

Sassoli secured 345 votes in the second ballot. The absolute majority required is 334 votes.

A day earlier, EU leaders announced their picks to head key EU institutions after days of wrangling.

The European Council chose German Defence Minister Ursula von der Leyen as a candidate for president of the European Commission. She will need the backing of a majority at the European Parliament to head the commission.

Belgian Prime Minister Charles Michel was named the new president of the European Council.

Christine Lagarde of the International Monetary Fund was submitted as a candidate for president of the European Central Bank (ECB). Her nomination needs support from the European Parliament and the ECB's Governing Council.

Spanish Foreign Minister Josep Borell is considered as a candidate for High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy. He will be confirmed by the Commission's president-elect.​ </s> STRASBOURG: The European Parliament on Tuesday confirmed Ursula von der Leyen, a German conservative, as the next president of the executive EU Commission by 383 votes to 327 against, the speaker of the assembly, David Sassoli, said.

Von der Leyen, a close ally of German Chancellor Angela Markel, needed a minimum 374 votes to be confirmed. There were 22 abstentions and one blank vote, he added. </s> German politician Ursula von der Leyen has been voted in as the new President of the European Commission. The Angela Merkel ally, who is the first woman to take on the role, said ahead of her election she would be willing to allow another Brexit extension beyond 31 October. She was confirmed in the role by a European Parliament vote of 383-327, with 22 abstentions.
The European Council nominates German Defence Minister Ursula von der Leyen to replace Jean-Claude Juncker as President of the European Commission. If confirmed by the European Parliament, she will be the first woman to hold the position. The Council also nominates Charles Michel of Belgium as President of the European Council, Josep Borrell of Spain as High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, and Christine Lagarde of France as President of the European Central Bank.