The European Council’s role at the start of the new EU institutional cycle

Summary:

The European Union's institutional cycle begins anew every five years with the elections to the European Parliament. This is a crucial moment, as it updates both the hardware (the institutional leadership) and the software (the political priorities) of the EU. The European Council, composed of the Heads of State or Government of the EU Member States, plays a significant role in both processes. Not only is it directly or indirectly involved in the choice of who fills most of the top EU positions, it also establishes the EU's long-term political priorities through setting its Strategic Agenda. This briefing outlines the EU's institutional cycle and highlights the European Council's role in this cycle in institutional terms. It also describes the processes involved in the allocation of EU top institutional jobs and the adoption of the EU's long-term priorities.

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