Why should we care who the new European Commission president is?

Politics Explained: The European Commission president is the most powerful person in the EU institution

EU leaders worked through the night to pick the next European Commission president, and drew a blank. But why should you care who the commission president is?

The president of the European Commission is the head of the executive branch of the European Union, leading a cabinet government of commissioners, called a college.

The commission is the only part of the EU with the power to propose laws and legislation – meaning it sets the agenda and no law can be enacted without its support.