Germany's frustrations with the European Commission have steadily grown. The commission is the administrative branch of the European Union, and its influence has increased since the beginning of the European project. Though the European Council, composed of the heads of member states, still guides key decisions, the commission keeps the Continent functional. The institution is made up of 28 commissioners, each appointed by a member state and put in charge of a department by the European Commission president. The European Council normally chooses the president, but a controversial new system enables the European Parliament to produce the list of candidates from which the council chooses a leader. Jean-Claude Juncker, a former Luxembourg prime minister and a staunch integrationist, emerged from this selection process as the most recent commission president. The new commission, led by Juncker, took up duty Nov. 1.