The European Union is facing multiple internal and external challenges, who will lead the EU over the next five years will have profound implications for the nature and the future of the European project. Over the last two decades Central and Eastern Europeans member states have been underrepresented in EU top jobs and have had limited impact on EU policy-making. As the EU is starting a new institutional cycle, the seminar will explore the allocation of top jobs in the EU and their implications for leadership and the balance of power in the EU. The discussion will also reflect on whether Central and Eastern Europeans can play a more prominent role in shaping EU politics and policy-making.