The European Council (informally EUCO) is a collegiate body that defines the overall political direction and priorities of the European Union.

Established as an informal summit in 1975, the European Council was formalised as an institution in 2009 upon the commencement of the Treaty of Lisbon. Its current president is António Costa, a former Prime Minister of Portugal.

Membership The European Council is composed of the heads of state or government of the EU member states, the President of the European Council, and the President of the European Commission.

The representative of each member state depends on its political system. A member of the European Council is usually the highest representative of the executive branch of government. Most member states have parliamentary systems and are represented by their head of government. France, Lithuania, and Romania have semi-presidential systems and are represented by their head of state. Cyprus has a presidential system and is represented by its president, who is both the head of state and the head of government.

Current members

State Member Affiliation Member since Time as member Last election Next election Share of population Notes European Union President of the European CouncilAntónio Costa S&D – PS 2024 2027 — Non-voting member European Union President of the European CommissionUrsula von der Leyen EPP – CDU 2024 2029 — Non-voting member Republic of Austria ChancellorChristian Stocker EPP – ÖVP 2024 2029 1.99% Head of government Kingdom of Belgium Prime MinisterBart De Wever ECR – N-VA 2024 2029 2.58% Head of government Republic of Bulgaria Prime MinisterRumen Radev – PB 2026 2030 1.55% Head of government Republic of Croatia Prime MinisterAndrej Plenković EPP – HDZ 2024 2028 0.90% Head of government Republic of Cyprus PresidentNikos Christodoulides EPP – Ind. 2023 2028 0.20% Head of state and head of government Czech Republic Prime MinisterAndrej Babiš PfE – ANO 2025 2029 2.36% Head of government Denmark Prime MinisterMette Frederiksen S&D – S 2026 2030 1.30% Head of government Republic of Estonia Prime MinisterKristen Michal Renew – ER 2023 2027 0.30% Head of government Republic of Finland Prime MinisterPetteri Orpo EPP – Kok. 2023 2027 1.24% Head of government French Republic PresidentEmmanuel Macron Renew – RE 2022 2027 15.07% Head of state Federal Republic of Germany ChancellorFriedrich Merz EPP – CDU 2025 2029 18.57% Head of government Hellenic Republic Prime MinisterKyriakos Mitsotakis EPP – ND 2023 2027 2.39% Head of government Hungary Prime MinisterPéter Magyar EPP – Tisza 2026 2030 2.17% Head of government Ireland TaoiseachMicheál Martin Renew – FF 2024 2029 1.12% Between July and December 2026, Micheál Martin is the head of government of the rotating presidency of the Council of the European Union. Italian Republic Prime MinisterGiorgia Meloni ECR – FdI 2022 2027 13.38% Head of government Republic of Latvia Prime MinisterAndris Kulbergs – AS 2022 2026 0.42% Head of government Republic of Lithuania PresidentGitanas Nausėda – Ind. 2024 2029 0.62% Head of state Luxembourg Prime MinisterLuc Frieden EPP – CSV 2023 2028 0.14% Head of government Republic of Malta Prime MinisterRobert Abela S&D – PL 2026 2031 0.12% Head of government Netherlands Prime MinisterRob Jetten Renew – D66 2025 2029 3.94% Head of government Republic of Poland Prime MinisterDonald Tusk EPP – KO 2023 2027 8.45% Head of government Portuguese Republic Prime MinisterLuís Montenegro EPP – PSD 2025 2029 2.30% Head of government Romania PresidentNicușor Dan – Ind. 2025 2030 4.29% Head of state Slovak Republic Prime MinisterRobert Fico – Smer–SD 2023 2027 1.22% Head of government Republic of Slovenia Prime MinisterJanez Janša EPP – SDS 2026 2030 0.47% Head of government Kingdom of Spain Prime MinisterPedro Sánchez S&D – PSOE 2023 2026 10.59% Head of government Kingdom of Sweden Prime MinisterUlf Kristersson EPP – M 2022 2026 2.32% Head of government

Timeline of membership

Longest-serving members of the European Council +Leaders who have been members of the European Council for more than 10 years # Member Position State Membership Last affiliation 1 Jean-Claude Juncker Prime Minister – rowspan=3 EPP Commission President – 23 years, 347 days 2 Helmut Kohl Chancellor – EPP 3 Angela Merkel Chancellor – EPP 4 Viktor Orbán Prime Minister – PfE 5 Jacques Santer Prime Minister – rowspan=3 EPP Commission President – 6 Donald Tusk Prime Minister – rowspan=4 EPP Council President – Prime Minister – present 7 François Mitterrand President – S&D 8 Mark Rutte Prime Minister – Renew 9 Robert Fico Prime Minister – rowspan=4 – – present 10 Wilfried Martens Prime Minister – rowspan=3 EPP – 12 years, 115 days 11 José Manuel Barroso Prime Minister – rowspan=3 EPP Commission President – 12 years, 80 days 12 Jacques Chirac President – EPP 13 Ruud Lubbers Prime Minister – EPP 14 Margaret Thatcher Prime Minister – ECR 15 Bertie Ahern Taoiseach – ECR 16 Göran Persson Prime Minister – S&D 17 Poul Schlüter Prime Minister – EPP 18 Felipe González Prime Minister – S&D 19 Tony Blair Prime Minister – S&D 20 António Costa Prime Minister – rowspan=3 S&D Council President – present 21 Klaus Iohannis President – EPP 22 Jacques Delors Commission President – S&D 23 Charles Michel Prime Minister – rowspan=3 Renew Council President – 10 years, 15 days

See also European Council European Union

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