FACTBOX - Possible contenders for new EU president
REUTERS - European Union leaders are expected to decide soon who will become the bloc's president under its Lisbon reform treaty.
The president of the Council of EU leaders will be picked for a renewable 2-1/2 year term, strengthening the current system of a six-month presidency that states hold in turn.
Below is a list of possible contenders mentioned in the media or discussed by diplomats and analysts in Brussels.
BELGIAN PRIME MINISTER HERMAN VAN ROMPUY
Von Rompuy, 62, has emerged as a strong centre-right candidate. Although he has been prime minister for less than a year, after coming to power following a banking crisis, he has proved a steady hand running a difficult coalition.
He is a low-profile leader whose consensus-building skills could suit German Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President Nicolas Sarkozy better than an established world statesman heavyweight such as former British Prime Minister Tony Blair.
"Van Rompuy's stance as a man of compromise makes him a popular choice. Moreover he is respected for his low profile, careful and humble work ethic," Belgian newspaper De Morgen wrote.
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