European Union leaders are to meet in Brussels on Thursday 19 November to choose the first EU president. The meeting will also appoint an EU high representative for foreign affairs.

The two new posts can now be filled since the final EU country, the Czech Republic, has ratified the Lisbon Treaty. According to EU diplomatic sources, the extra summit will take the form of a ‘working dinner’.

Speculation has been rife in recent weeks over the possible candidates for the new post of EU president (officially: permanent President of the European Council). Dutch Prime Minister Jan Peter Balkenende is in the running, as are his counterparts and fellow Christian Democrats from Belgium and Luxembourg, Herman Van Rompuy and Jean-Claude Juncker.

On Tuesday, Mr Balkenende said he has had several conversations with Fredrik Reinfeldt, prime minister of Sweden, the country which currently holds the rotating EU presidency. Mr Reinfeldt is now sounding out all the EU's political leaders for their views on who should get the new job of EU president. Mr Balkenende has always denied being a candidate, despite being tipped in Brussels as one of the likely contenders.