(VOVworld) – Leaders of EU member countries elected Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk as European Council President and Italian Foreign Minister Federica Mogherini as the bloc’s Foreign Policy Chief for the next 5 years.

European Council President Herman Van Rompuy (center) holds the hands of Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk (left) and Italian Foreign Minister Federica Mogherini during a media conference at an EU summit in Brussels, Saturday, Aug. 30, 2014. (photo: AP)

EC incumbent President Herman Van Rompuy announced the appointment on the social network Twitter following the EC special summit on August 30 in Brussels. Donald Tusk, 57, has been Poland’s Prime Minister since 2007. He will replace Herman Van Rompuy as European Council president in December, a job focused on building compromise among the bloc's 28 leaders on key policy issues and at summits for euro-zone leaders.