Way cleared for Nadia Calviño to become EIB chief

Опубликовано: Thursday, 30 November 2023 16:34

Spanish finance minister now needs to get backing from EU counterparts during meeting next week.

BRUSSELS – Nadia Calviño has emerged as the clear frontrunner to lead the European Investment Bank.

Belgium’s finance minister Vincent Van Peteghem, who is leading the selection process, will send a letter to his EU counterparts endorsing the Spanish finance minister for the role, two officials told POLITICO on condition of anonymity because the discussions are private.

Until now, the Belgians were holding back from putting forward a single candidate because there was no consensus among governments.

Finance ministers are now set to vote on whether to endorse Calviño in a meeting in Brussels on Friday next week, the officials confirmed.

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz publicly came out in support of Calviño during a meeting of top European Socialist leaders in Spain earlier this month. France had not publicly backed any candidate.

Calvino’s main rival for the job was Denmark’s Margrethe Vestager, the EU’s competition commissioner who is currently on leave from that role to focus on her candidacy.

Five candidates are in the running to lead the EIB, which was founded by EU member countries in 1958 to support infrastructure projects and regional development.