Brussels: After three days of arduous negotiations, European Union leaders have broken a deadlock and nominated German Defence Minister Ursula von der Leyen to become the new president of the bloc's powerful executive arm, the European Commission.

Germany Defence Minister Ursula von der Leyen. Credit:AP

She will take over from Jean-Claude Juncker for the next five years.

European Council president Donald Tusk said in a series of tweets on Tuesday that Belgian Prime Minister Charles Michel would take over from him in the (northern) autumn.

Frenchwoman Christine Lagarde was proposed as president of the European Central Bank, while Spanish Foreign Minister Josep Borrell was nominated to become EU foreign policy chief, meaning he would be charged with supervising the Iran nuclear deal, among other duties.