- Title: Lagarde wins EU lawmakers' approval to lead ECB
- Date: 17th September 2019
- Summary: STRASBOURG, FRANCE (SEPTEMBER 16, 2019) (REUTERS) EXTERIOR OF EU PARLIAMENT FLAGS OF EU MEMBER STATES OUTSIDE PARLIAMENT
- Embargoed: 1st October 2019 12:51
- Keywords: MEPs Debate EU ECB European Central Bank Monetary Policy European Parliament Christine Lagarde Vote Lawmakers Mario Draghi
- Location: STRASBOURG, FRANCE / BRUSSELS, BELGIUM
- City: STRASBOURG, FRANCE / BRUSSELS, BELGIUM
- Country: France
- Topics: European Union,Government/Politics
- Reuters ID: LVA002AX1R3PP
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: The European Parliament backed Christine Lagarde on Tuesday (September 17) as the next president of the European Central Bank, paving the way for her to become the first woman to hold the post.
Lawmakers voted 394 in favour, 206 against and with 49 abstentions in the parliament's plenary in Strasbourg.
A member of the EPP group, Irish lawmaker Frances Fitzgerald hailed Lagarde's nomination by the EU Council as a 'huge progress for gender equality in Europe,' while Socialist Member of the EU Parliament Pedro Marques called on the former French finance minister to 'maintain the current monetary policy of the ECB.'
The nomination drew criticism from other lawmakers such as GUE/NGL Group co-chair Manon Aubry who noted that Lagarde was not present despite an invitation to attend.
Aubry said the ECB's monetary policy should focus on 'serving ecological and social transformation,' while, on the opposite side of the political spectrum, Austrian far right lawmaker Roman Haider warned Lagarde's appointment could mean 'the abolition of hard cash and direct negative interest for savers.'
A shrewd negotiator who has run the International Monetary Fund but has little monetary policy experience, Lagarde was selected in July by EU leaders to replace Mario Draghi from November 1 at the helm of the bloc's most powerful financial institution.
EU leaders will formalise her appointment at a regular summit in mid-October for an eight-year term.
(Production Clement Rossignol, Vincent Kessler) - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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