President of the European Union

This presidency is held by a country, not a person; meetings are chaired by the minister from the country holding the presidency (depending on the topic, or "configuration"), except for the Foreign Affairs Council (one so-called "configuration" of the Council of the EU), which is usually chaired by the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy.

Comparisons with other political system have attempted to explain the complex nature of the European institutions.

[citation needed] The president of the European Council is considered the principal representative of the EU internationally and diplomatically.

However, the title and office "President of the European Council" or any analogous position, did not exist prior to the Treaty of Lisbon.

[1] The role gives the holder the right to allocate portfolios to, dismiss and reshuffle European Commissioners and direct the commission's civil service.