EU leaders gather on Monday to decide who to appoint to key roles

Simon Harris will join other heads of government amid friction over Ursula von der Leyen's bid to  be reappointed European Commission president

European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen at Sunday's Ukraine peace summit in Obbürgen, Switzerland. On Monday she will join EU leaders including Simon Harris for a meeting on the results of the European elections, but will not attend the leaders' dinner later that day. Picture: Alessandro della Valle/Keystone/AP 

Horse-trading for key European roles is to begin on Monday when leaders gather for an informal meeting of the European Council.

Taoiseach Simon Harris will join his fellow leaders in Brussels to discuss the outcome of the European elections and its implications for appointments to the key EU institutions, including top jobs in the commission, parliament, and European Council.