Assumptions vs. Findings

Assessment of hypothesised assumptions confirms that leaders exercise leadership behaviour when there is a net impact of the issue on their country. The position of the leader in the national political system, the ideological composition of the government, and the compatibility of elites’ and public opinion with solutions considered by the leader play a role as enabling or constraining factors in the choice of leadership style, thus ensuring variability at the national level. The environment of the European Council is conducive to cooperative leadership styles. If the national environment is similar, the leaders would use the same cooperative leadership style in the European Council, while those whose national environment is different, might use a mixture of cooperative and uncooperative leadership styles. Leaders of "old" EU member states would use mainly cooperative leadership style typical for the environment of the European Council.