Why Merkel May Give Up Germany's Shot to Lead the ECB
- Merkel could trade claim to ECB presidency for policy gains
- Delicate talks to heat up as Merkel starts her fourth term
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By all rights, it’s Germany’s turn for one of the biggest political plums in Europe: the chance to name the next president of the European Central Bank. Chancellor Angela Merkel may be prepared to trade that for other items on her agenda.
Merkel’s political partners say they’re potentially willing to concede Germany’s chit. The tradeoff: more influence on French President Emmanuel Macron’s push to create closer ties among euro countries. The party leaders asked not to be identified because Merkel hasn’t announced her plans publicly. The man who could be left out of the equation is Bundesbank chief Jens Weidmann, a leading contender to become the fourth head of the ECB.