ECB board vote

The European People's Party has called on EU governments to ignore today's vote by the European Parliament to reject the sole candidate, Yves Mersch, for the vacancy on the executive board of the European Central Bank. The rejection was supported due to the failure to consider any female candidates for the vacancy. The Greens hit out at the EPP group with Green economic and finance spokesperson Sven Giegold (MEP, Germany) stating:

“This scandalous demand by the EPP displays a flagrant disregard for the democratic process. The European Parliament today took a democratic decision to oppose the exclusion of women from the Eurozone's highest decision-making bodies (1). The EPP should respect and accept this democratic vote and show it is committed to the rule of law. For the largest political group in the European Parliament to call for the Council to ignore this democratic vote is not only grossly irresponsible, it is a deep insult to the democratic role and functioning of this house."

(1) See the previous Green press release: http://www.greens-efa.eu/ecb-executive-board-8408.html