![Image for Last look at the EU president candidates (11 images)](https://media.cafebabel.com/resized-images/a0/14/b5b9c9cafa5d86e94c8a050375c53bbb024d.jpg)
Last look at the EU president candidates (11 images)
Published on
On 19 November, the first ever EU president will be announced at a Brussels summit organised by the current Swedish presidency of the EU. The two-and-a-half year term would begin on 1 January 2010
![Herman Van Rompuy (Image: Luc Van Braekel/ Wikimedia)](https://media.cafebabel.com/articles/cafebabel/public/Politics/2009/Politics nov 09/slideshow eu pres/rompuyLuc Van Braekelwiki.jpeg)
The Flemish speaking Belgian prime minister (christian democrat) leads the race to become the next president of the EU council, and is backed by France and Germany
![(Image: ©Downing Street/ Flickr)](https://media.cafebabel.com/articles/cafebabel/public/Politics/2009/Politics nov 09/slideshow eu pres/RompuyBrownDowning Street.jpeg)
Here is the 62-year-old former economist alongside British PM Gordon Brown (right), who openly endorses his predecessor Tony Blair
![Tony Blair (Image: ©World Economic Forum/ Flickr)](https://media.cafebabel.com/articles/cafebabel/public/Politics/2009/Politics nov 09/slideshow eu pres/blairWorld Economic Forum.jpeg)
Though the 56-year-old Labour politician hasn't said anything officially, and by consensus is a weaker candidate after his role in the 2003 Iraq war
![David Miliband (Image: ©Downing Street/ Flickr)](https://media.cafebabel.com/articles/cafebabel/public/Politics/2009/Politics nov 09/slideshow eu pres/milibandbhamdowningst.jpeg)
The UK foreign policy chief, pictured here at an event in Birmingham, firmly and politely has told the press and other EU heads that he already has a job, thankyou
![With Hillary Clinton, April 2009 (Image: ©Downing St/ Flickr)](https://media.cafebabel.com/articles/cafebabel/public/Politics/2009/Politics nov 09/slideshow eu pres/miliclinapril09downingst.jpeg)
Today the 44-year-old is more in the news after the US secretary of state admitted to having a crush on him
![Jean-Claude Juncker (Image: Martin Möller/ Wikipedia/ Aachen)](https://media.cafebabel.com/articles/cafebabel/public/Politics/2009/Politics nov 09/slideshow eu pres/junckMartin Moellerwikiaachen.jpeg)
Merkel's predecessor Gerhard Schröder has put his bucks behind another Benelux candidate, the 55-year-old Luxembourg prime minister (christian democrat)
![(Image: kremlin.ru/ Wikimedia)](https://media.cafebabel.com/articles/cafebabel/public/Politics/2009/Politics nov 09/slideshow eu pres/junckwww.kremlin.ru wiki.jpeg)
Juncker with former Russian president and current Russian PM Vladimir Putin
![Jan Peter Balkenende (Image: ©World Economic Forum/ Flickr)](https://media.cafebabel.com/articles/cafebabel/public/Politics/2009/Politics nov 09/slideshow eu pres/junckerwef.jpeg)
Rompuy's main competition is the 53-year-old Dutch prime minister (christian democrat)
![Tarja Halonen (Image: megapolis/ flickr.com/photos/megapolis/)](https://media.cafebabel.com/articles/cafebabel/public/Politics/2009/Politics nov 09/slideshow eu pres/halonen.jpeg)
The current Finnish president, 62, is a socialist candidate
![Vaira Vike-Freiberga (Image: ©World Economic Forum/ Flickr)](https://media.cafebabel.com/articles/cafebabel/public/Politics/2009/Politics nov 09/slideshow eu pres/Vaira Vike-Freibergawef.jpeg)
Or will another redhead be taking the helm of the EU? At 72, the former Latvian president is also the oldest candidate for the post
![Toomas Hendrik Ilves (Image: ©Jeffrey G3/ Flickr)](https://media.cafebabel.com/articles/cafebabel/public/Politics/2009/Politics nov 09/slideshow eu pres/toomasJeffrey G3.jpeg)
Like his Latvian colleague, the Estonian president (social democrat), 55, declared himself as a late contender for the race