Back in 2011 Matthew Holehouse of the Telegraph published this piece on the individuals in leadership of the EU. Thought it was an interesting refresher. A few highlight quotes posted below:
Additionally, the article links to another very short Telegraph piece that asked the question, "Britain is approaching a key moment in its post-war history. Do we want to be closer to - or further away from - the EU's inner core?" It can be found here.
Angela Merkel
57, Germany
Position: German Chancellor since November 2005, re-elected in 2009 for another four years.
"It is time for a breakthrough to a new Europe. A community that says, 'Regardless of what happens in the rest of the world, it can never again change its ground rules’, that simply can’t survive. I’m convinced of this. Because the world is changing so much, we must be prepared to answer the challenges. That will mean more Europe, not less Europe."
Nicolas Sarkozy
56, France
Position: President of the French Republic since May 2007, serving a five-year term
"The consequences of a failure of the euro would be so cataclysmic that we could not possibly entertain the idea. We couldn't even play with the idea of entertaining the idea...
Mrs. Merkel and I will never, never allow the euro to fail. Never will we allow the euro to be destroyed... The euro is Europe. Germany and France have known three barbaric wars. Now Europe is the most stable continent in the world."
Christine Lagarde
55, France.
Position: Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund since July, for a five year term.
"If we do not act, and act together, we could enter a downward spiral of uncertainty, financial instability, and a collapse in global demand. Ultimately, we could face a lost decade of low growth and high unemployment."
Mario Draghi
64, Italy
Position: President of the European Central Bank since November, for an eight-year term
"It would be pointless to think that sovereign bond rates can stably be brought down for a protracted period by outside intervention. The first and foremost responsibility lies with national economic policies. Put your public finances in order."
José Manuel Barroso
55, Portugal
Position: President of the European Commission since 2004, re-appointed for five years in 2009
"All the European Union members should have the euro as their currency. The idea that we have two unions in Europe means disunion... It was an illusion to think that we could have a common currency and single market with national approaches to economic and budgetary policy."
Herman Van Rompuy
64, Belgium
Position: President of the European Council since 2009, serving a 30-month term.
"We have together to fight the danger of a new Euroscepticism... In every member state, there are people who believe their country can survive alone in the globalised world. It is more than an illusion: it is a lie... The biggest enemy of Europe today is fear. Fear leads to egoism, egoism leads to nationalism, and nationalism leads to war."
Olli Rehn
49, Finland
Position: European Commissioner for Economic and Monetary Affairs since 2010, serving a five year term.
"Let me be very blunt on this: It's either the EU institutions, according to our own rules, procedures and democratic accountability, or the market forces that will do the job. For me, as a committed European and a committed democrat, the choices are clear."
Jean-Claude Juncker
56, Luxembourg
Position: Chairman of the European Finance Ministers since 2005, reappointed four times
"Monetary policy is a serious issue. We should discuss this in secret, in the Eurogroup. I'm ready to be insulted as being insufficiently democratic, but I want to be serious... I am for secret, dark debates."