Europe

EU leaders converge on Brussels to haggle over top jobs

Associated Press
Published | Updated

Two women walk near EU flags outside the European Commission headquarters in Brussels, Monday, May 27, 2019. Europeans woke Monday to a new political reality after European Parliament elections ended the domination of the EU's main center-right and center-left parties and revealed a changed political landscape where the far-right, pro-business groups and environmentalists will be forces to be reckoned with. (AP Photo/Francisco Seco)

Two men walk past a projection of the composition of the next European Parliament on a large screen outside the European Parliament in Brussels, Monday, May 27, 2019. Europeans woke Monday to a new political reality after European Parliament elections ended the domination of the EU's main center-right and center-left parties and revealed a changed political landscape where the far-right, pro-business groups and environmentalists will be forces to be reckoned with. (AP Photo/Francisco Seco)

European Union leaders are converging on Brussels to haggle over who should lead the 28-nation bloc's key institutions for the next five years after weekend elections shook up Europe's political landscape.

Presidents and prime ministers will meet over dinner Tuesday evening to choose who should take over as head of the EU's powerful executive branch, the European Commission, currently led by Jean-Claude Juncker.

They are also likely to weigh candidates for European Council president to replace Donald Tusk, EU high representative — essentially the foreign minister — and head of the European Central Bank.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel, whose coalition suffered in Sunday's EU-wide elections, says she wants to see a quick agreement on who should run the commission, which proposes and enforces the bloc's laws.