Thread by @James7Holland

A quick thread..

..as EU countries meet this week to designate––behind closed doors––the new presidents of the EU Commission, EU Council, EU Parliament, EU Central Bank and the new EU Foreign Minister..

..on the history of those appointments and which countries normally win:

13 men have presided over the European Commission and its previous incarnations.

Incredibly, more Luxembourgish politicians have held that post than any other nationality:

Jean-Claude Juncker 🇱🇺 2014-19
José Manuel Barroso 🇵🇹 2004-14
Romano Prodi 🇮🇹 1999-2004
cont..

cont..
Manuel Marín 🇪🇸 1999 (interim)
Jacques Santer 🇱🇺 1995-99
Jacques Delors 🇫🇷 1985-95
Gaston Thorn 🇱🇺 1981-85
Roy Jenkins 🇬🇧 1977-81
François-Xavier Ortoli 🇫🇷 1973-77
Sicco Mansholt 🇳🇱 1972-73
Franco Maria Malfatti 🇮🇹 1970-72
Jean Rey 🇧🇪 1967-70
Walter Hallstein 🇩🇪 1958-67

The President of the EU Council post was created in 2009.

Just two men have held that position.

A Belgian and a Pole:

Donald Tusk 🇵🇱 2014-19
Herman Van Rompuy 🇧🇪 2009-14

The first elected President of the EU Parliament took their seat in 1979. Since then Germany, Spain and France dominate the appointments:

Antonio Tajani 🇮🇹 2017-19
Martin Schulz 🇩🇪 2012-17
Jerzy Buzek 🇵🇱 2009-12
Hans-Gert Pöttering 🇩🇪 2007-09
Josep Borrell 🇪🇸 2004-07
cont..

cont..
Pat Cox 🇮🇪 2002-04
Nicole Fontaine 🇫🇷 1999-2002
José María Gil-Robles 🇪🇸 1997-99
Klaus Hänsch 🇩🇪 1994-97
Egon Klepsch 🇩🇪 1992-94
Enrique Barón Crespo 🇪🇸1989-92
Henry Plumb 🇬🇧 1987-89
Pierre Pflimlin 🇫🇷1984-87
Piet Dankert 🇳🇱 1982-84
Simone Veil 🇫🇷 1979-82

There have been 3 presidents of the EU Central Bank, a post created in 1998:

Mario Draghi 🇮🇹 2011-19
Jean-Claude Trichet 🇫🇷2003-11
Wim Duisenberg 🇳🇱 1998-2003

The EU Foreign Ministers post was created in 1999.

Two women have held so far:

Federica Mogherini 🇮🇹 2014-19
Catherine Ashton 🇬🇧 2009-14
Javier Solana 🇪🇸 1999-2009

Along with EU Parliament president Simone Veil, these are the only 3 women to have held senior EU positions.