Presidents of the European Commission
Discover the remarkable individuals who led the European Commission from its inception to today. Our interactive timeline showcases their presidencies, key policies, and lasting impact on European integration. Explore their stories and witness the evolution of the EU through the lens of its presidents.
1 December 2019
Ursula von der Leyen
Ursula Gertrud von der Leyen (née Albrecht; born 8 October 1958) is a German physician and politician serving as the 13th president of the European Commission since 2019. She served in the German federal government between 2005 and 2019, holding successive positions in Angela Merkel's cabinet, most recently as federal minister of defence. Von der Leyen is a member of the centre-right Christian Democratic Union (CDU) and its EU affiliated group, the European People's Party (EPP).
1 November 2014 - 30 November 2019
Jean-Claude Juncker
Jean-Claude Juncker (born 9 December 1954) is a Luxembourgish politician who was the 23rd prime minister of Luxembourg from 1995 to 2013 and 12th president of the European Commission from 2014 to 2019. He also was Finance Minister from 1989 to 2009 and President of the Eurogroup from 2005 to 2013.
22 November 2004 - 31 October 2014
José Manuel Barroso
José Manuel Durão Barroso (born 23 March 1956) is a Portuguese politician and law professor. He previously served as the 115th prime minister of Portugal and from 2004–2014 as the 11th president of the European Commission.
16 September 1999 - 21 November 2004
Romano Prodi
Romano Prodi OMRI (born 9 August 1939) is an Italian politician who served as President of the European Commission from 1999 to 2004 and twice as Prime Minister of Italy, from 1996 to 1998, and again 2006 to 2008. Prodi is considered the founder of the Italian centre-left and one of the most prominent and iconic figures of the Second Republic. He is often nicknamed Il Professore ("The Professor") due to his academic career.
23 January 1995 - 15 March 1999
Jacques Santer
Jacques Santer (born 18 May 1937) is a Luxembourgish politician who served as the ninth president of the European Commission from 1995 to 1999. He served as the finance minister of Luxembourg from 1979 until 1989, and the 22nd prime minister of Luxembourg from 1984 to 1995, as a member of the Christian Social People's Party (CSV), which was the leading party in the Luxembourg government between 1979 and 2013. As Prime Minister of Luxembourg he also led the negotiations on the Single European Act, which effectively set aside the 20-year-old Luxembourg Compromise.
6 January 1985 - 22 January 1995
Jacques Delors
Jacques Lucien Jean Delors (20 July 1925 – 27 December 2023) was a French politician who served as the eighth president of the European Commission from 1985 to 1995. Delors played a key role in the creation of the single market, the euro and the modern European Union.
6 January 1981 - 5 January 1985
Gaston Thorn
Gaston Egmond Thorn (3 September 1928 – 26 August 2007) was a Luxembourgish politician who served in a number of high-profile positions, both domestically and internationally. Amongst the posts that he held were the 20th prime minister of Luxembourg (1974–1979), President of the United Nations General Assembly (1975), and the seventh president of the European Commission (1981–1985).
6 January 1977 - 5 January 1981
Roy Jenkins
Roy Harris Jenkins, Baron Jenkins of Hillhead, OM, PC (11 November 1920 – 5 January 2003) was a British politician and writer who served as the sixth president of the European Commission from 1977 to 1981. At various times a Member of Parliament (MP) for the Labour Party, Social Democratic Party (SDP) and the Liberal Democrats, he was Chancellor of the Exchequer and Home Secretary under the Wilson and Callaghan Governments.
6 January 1973 - 5 January 1977
François-Xavier Ortoli
François-Xavier Ortoli (16 February 1925 – 30 November 2007) was a French politician who served as the fifth president of the European Commission from 1973 to 1977. He served as Minister of the Economy of France from 1968 to 1969.
22 March 1972 - 5 January 1973
Sicco Mansholt
Sicco Leendert Mansholt (13 September 1908 – 29 June 1995) was a Dutch farmer, politician and diplomat of the Social Democratic Workers' Party (SDAP) and later the Labour Party (PvdA), who served as the fourth president of the European Commission from 22 March 1972 until 5 January 1973.
2 July 1970 - 21 March 1972
Franco Maria Malfatti
Franco Maria Malfatti (13 June 1927 – 10 December 1991) was an Italian politician who served as the third president of the European Commission from 1970 to 1972. He served at Italian level as Italian Minister of Foreign Affairs from 1979 to 1980 and Italian Minister of Education from 1973 to 1978.
6 July 1967 - 1 July 1970
Jean Rey
Jean Rey (15 July 1902 – 19 May 1983) was a Belgian Liberal politician who served as the second president of the European Commission from 1967 to 1970. He served as European Commissioner for External Relations from 1958 to 1967. The 1983–1984 academic year at the College of Europe was named in his honour.
1 January 1958 - 5 July 1967
Walter Hallstein
Walter Hallstein (17 November 1901 – 29 March 1982) was a German academic, diplomat and statesman who was the first president of the Commission of the European Economic Community and one of the founding fathers of the European Union.
