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Journalism of Courage
Britain demanded on Monday an open and transparent selection for the top job at the International Monetary Fund amid mounting signs that France and Germany were working to stitch up the post between them.
Germany signalled its support at the weekend for the candidacy of Frenchman Jean Lemierre, head of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, to succeed Germany’s Horst Koehler as IMF managing director.
A euro zone source said that Paris had taken soundings with the United States, which had indicated it would not oppose Lemierre.
“The French wouldn’t have proposed a candidate without doing their homework. The Americans won’t oppose him,” the source said.
The source added that in return France would back a German bid for a yet-to-be-created post of Vice-President of the European Commission for economic reform.
But the British Treasury made clear its opposition to a bilateral deal, against the backdrop of protests outside Europe to the assumption that a European was guaranteed the job.
