The European Parliament will elect its President for the next 2 1/2 years - half the legislature - on Wednesday morning.

Candidates for the presidency may be put forward either by a political group or by 1/20th of members.

By the Tuesday deadline, the names put forward were:

Ska Keller (Germany, Greens)

Sira Rego (Spain, GUE/NGL)

David-Maria Sassoli (Italy, S&D)

Jan Zahradil (Czech Republic, ECR)

German MEP Manfred Weber, leader of the conservative group in Parliament who long claimed the Commission leadership, officially abandoned the race once the summit decision was made on the top jobs at the Commission.

The four candidates started the session on Wednesday by making their pitch to the MEPs.

The election is held by secret ballot. To be elected, a candidate must win an absolute majority of the valid votes cast, i.e. 50% plus one.

EU leaders on Tuesday struck a hard-fought summit deal to put women in two of the bloc's most important jobs for the first time.

After three days of bitter wrangling, German Defence Minister Ursula von der Leyen was named to replace Jean-Claude Juncker at the head of the European Commission for the next five years.

Former French finance minister Christine Lagarde, who has led the International Monetary Fund since 2011, is to take charge at the European Central Bank as fears of an economic slowdown in Europe rattle markets.

The picks, confirmed by summit host and European Council President Donald Tusk, ended difficult talks that had dragged on since Sunday evening, dogged by division and infighting.

The package agreed by the 28 EU leaders also sees Belgian Prime Minister Charles Michel take over from Tusk at the European Council of member states, while Spanish Foreign Minister Josep Borrell becomes foreign policy chief, replacing Federica Mogherini.

A total of 748 MEPs took up their seats at the EU's directly elected assembly on Tuesday.