1 December
The European Union is getting a new set of top officials on Sunday at a time when the bloc faces increasing challenges.
The change is due to the expiration of the terms of the EU's current leaders. Former Belgian Prime Minister Charles Michel will replace Donald Tusk as president of the European Council. He will coordinate views among EU leaders when chairing their summit meetings. Tusk has been in the post for five years.
Michel will need to tackle disarray among EU member nations as some of them have been promoting policies that contradict EU principles. Former German Defense Minister Ursula von der Leyen will become the first female president of the European Commission. She will oversee 26 commissioners.
The commission is the EU's executive branch. It also represent the interests of member nations in diplomatic and trade negotiations. The new officials will need to show strong leadership, as EU-skeptics have a certain level of support in the bloc.
They will also have to handle trade talks with the United States and negotiations with Britain over its planned departure from the bloc.—NHK
