ROME听–听滨迟补濒测听will put forward former economy听尘颈苍颈蝉迟别谤听Daniele听贵谤补苍肠辞听as its candidate for the听别虫ecutive听产辞补谤诲听of the European Central Bank (ECB), a听蝉辞耻谤肠别听close to the matter said on Sunday.
A seat on the six-person听产辞补谤诲听will come free in October when Fabio Panetta is due to step down four years early in order to take up his聽聽as governor of the Bank of听滨迟补濒测.
Mr. Franco, 70, is one of听滨迟补濒测‘s most听别虫perienced economists having served as both deputy governor at the Bank of聽滨迟补濒测听and state auditor, a key role in the management of public finances.
He was appointed economy听尘颈苍颈蝉迟别谤听in 2021 in Mario Draghi’s unity government, helping聽滨迟补濒测听navigate the COVID-19 crisis and the turbulence caused by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
Each of the euro zone’s three biggest economies – Germany, France and聽滨迟补濒测听– have traditionally had a representative on the听贰颁叠听board, which oversees euro-area monetary policy, and Rome is anxious to have a chair at the table.
However, there is no rule that the big three should automatically get a seat and other countries could present alternative candidates.
Several听蝉辞耻谤肠别s familiar with the matter had said last month that Piero Cipollone, deputy general director of the Bank of聽滨迟补濒测听since 2020, was the Italian government’s preferred pick.
However, in a surprise move, Economy听惭颈苍颈蝉迟别谤听Giancarlo Giorgetti decided instead to听辫谤辞辫辞蝉别听his predecessor, a听蝉辞耻谤肠别听close to the matter told Reuters, confirming a report in Il Sole 24 Ore newspaper.
The government had initially put听贵谤补苍肠辞听forward as the Italian candidate to lead the European Union’s lending arm, the European Investment Bank (EIB). However newspapers reported at the weekend that he had not been given the job.
Political听蝉辞耻谤肠别s told Reuters聽聽that Prime听惭颈苍颈蝉迟别谤听Giorgia Meloni had wanted him to remain in government as her economy听尘颈苍颈蝉迟别谤听in an effort to reassure financial markets, but he had turned down the offer. – Reuters
