EU leaders battle to end embarrassing top jobs impasse

BRUSSELS (AP) — European Union leaders reconvened Tuesday to consider a new proposal to end an embarrassing deadlock over nominating candidates to hold the bloc's key posts for at least the next five years.

In one of the longest EU summits in recent years, the leaders were assessing whether there was sufficient support to back German Defense Minister Ursula von der Leyen as the new president of the European Commission, the EU's executive arm, and name Belgian Prime Minister Charles Michel as the new Council president.

Under the proposal, Spanish Foreign Minister Josep Borrell would become the EU's foreign affairs chief and French monetary specialist Christine Lagarde as the chief of the European Central Bank.

"Getting closer and closer," said current Council President Donald Tusk, who chairs the summit.

"There is a reasonable level of support," said a diplomat close to the negotiations who requested anonymity because the talks were still ongoing.

The European Parliament is set to vote Wednesday on its new president, while the new chairman of the European Central Bank could be named later.

The Commission president is in charge of the EU's day-to-day affairs and proposes legislation, while the Council President organizes summits of government leaders and brokers compromises among them.

The official start of the summit was delayed by more than four hours Tuesday as current European President Donald Tusk led discussions in groups aimed at finding a compromise over who should secure the coveted posts.

The challenge is to name a group of new leaders of the EU institutions that respect the 28-nation bloc's political affiliations, geography — a balance of countries from the north and south, east and west — population size and to have at least two women nominated.

..