European Council President Donald Tusk will ask EU leaders to back German Defense Minister Ursula von der Leyen as European Commission president, dpa has learned from trusted sources, as efforts to broker a package of top jobs drag on.
The proposal has the backing of France and Spain, according to the sources.
Von der Leyen, of German Chancellor Angela Merkel's Christian Democrats, is part of a package that would include Belgian Prime Minister Charles Michel as Tusk's successor and Spanish Foreign Minister Josep Borrell as EU foreign policy chief.
The European Parliament presidency would go to a socialist for the first half of the mandate, with German EU lawmaker Manfred Weber to take over for the second half.
Weber was the center-right EPP's lead candidate for the commission post but failed to secure a majority among member states.
EU leaders must now weigh in on the package. Their summit talks have not yet resumed since Monday, with informal consultations underway.