The President of the European Council is elected by the European Council by a qualified majority. He is elected for a 2.5 year term, which is renewable once. In accordance with established practice, the rotating presidency is in charge of the coordination of the election process.

There are 3 main institutions involved in EU legislation: the European Parliament, which represents the EU’s citizens and is directly elected by them; the Council of the European Union, which represents the governments of the individual member countries.

European Union institutions and bodies The European Council, formed by the heads of state or government of the Member States, provides the necessary impetus for the development of the European Union and sets out the general political guidelines. The Commission President is also a non-voting member.

EU legislation can only be made by the assent of the Council of Ministers (sometimes along with that of the European parliament). The commission does not decide whether member states or other bodies are in breach of the treaties or other EU law.

The European Council is the EU’s supreme political body. The European Council brings together the political leaders – the Presidents and Prime Ministers – of the member states. The European Commission is part political body and part administration, which leads to confusion about its exact nature.

The European Council does not have the power to make laws, but it can ask the European Commission to propose laws. The European Council mostly takes its decisions by consensus. However, in certain specific cases outlined in the EU treaties, it decides by unanimity or by qualified majority.

The Council of Ministers, typically referred to as just ‘the Council’, is the EU’s main decision-making and legislative body. The latter is an international body, completely separate from the EU, set up in 1949 with the aim of promoting democracy, human rights and the rule of law within its 40 member states.

The Council of the European Union is pretty powerful since it is the heads of state that meet up and make decisions and decide the political agenda. The European Parliament is mostly there to let the voices of the citizens be heard and to approve the budget!

The Council and the Parliament hold legislative authority in the EU. The Council, where Member States’ governments are represented, is considered by some to be the most powerful institutional actor in the EU.

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There is a Council of Ministers headed by the Prime Minister to aid and advise the President in exercise of his functions. The Prime Minister is appointed by the President, who also appoints other ministers on the advice of Prime Minister. The Council is collectively responsible to the Lok Sabha.

The Council of Ministers is a traditional name given to the supreme executive organ in some governments. The term is usually equivalent to the word “cabinet” (Council of State is a similar term that also may refer to a Cabinet.

The Cabinet is the small body of the Council, comprising of the most experienced and influential members formed to discuss and decide policies of government. Council of Ministers is the body that advises the President on various matters and is formed to assist the Prime Minister in running Government.

It exercises, in practice, the powers of the council of ministers and thus, acts for the latter. Its functions are determined by the cabinet. It directs the council of ministers by taking policy decisions which are binding on all ministers. It implements the decisions taken by the cabinet.

Cabinet, in political systems, a body of advisers to a head of state who also serve as the heads of government departments.

Notes: The word /’Cabinet/’ is mentioned only once in the Indian Constitution in the Article 352(3) which states that /”the President shall not issue a proclamation unless the Union Cabinet communicates him in writing that such a proclamation may be issued/”.

Ajay Kumar Bhalla is the current Home Secretary of India, assumed the office on 22 August 2019, succeeding Rajiv Gauba. He is also a former martial artist. He is IAS officer of 1984 batch.