The European Council is the driving force behind the development of the European Union.

The European Council is a body that brings together the heads of state and government of the EU Member States, responsible for giving the necessary impetus to the development of the EU and for defining its general policy directions. It also has the power, after approval by the European Parliament, to initiate the process of suspending a Member State’s rights after verifying that there has been a serious breach of the Union’s principles. The European Council meets at least four times a year and is usually discussed by consensus, although decisions on a number of important appointments are taken by qualified majority.

The President is elected by the European Council itself for a term of two and a half years, renewable once, and ensures the external representation of the EU. The President of the Commission is also a member of the European Council, although without the right to vote. The High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy takes part in the work, and the President of the European Parliament is invited to speak at the beginning of the meetings of the European Council.

It was the Lisbon Treaty (2009) that made the European Council a full-fledged institution of the European Union and defined its tasks.

AND

Term and elections
The President of the European Council is elected by a qualified majority of the European Council. Their mandate lasts for two and a half years and can be extended once. They may not hold any national mandate at the same time. The rotating president is responsible for coordinating the electoral process.

Story
The Single European Act (1986) incorporated the European Council into the text of the Treaties. The Maastricht Treaty (1992) formally enshrined it in the institutional framework of the EU.