France well positioned to claim ECB chief economist post, Moulin says

Bank ‌of France ​Governor Emmanuel Moulin said on Tuesday it would be legitimate for a French person to get the ‌job of chief economist at the European Central Bank.

"This is a position that we have never had in our history — the post of chief economist. We have ‌some very good candidates — in fact, some very good female candidates - for this ‌role; it would therefore be entirely legitimate for France to hold this position," Moulin said in an interview with the BFM Business TV channel. Euro zone leaders are set to pick a ⁠replacement ​for ECB President Christine ⁠Lagarde - who said last month she will step down on February 7 - and two other key ⁠board members, Isabel Schnabel, who heads market operations, and Chief Economist Philip Lane, in the ​coming months.

The three appointments may be negotiated in the same process. Only two ⁠candidates for the top job have been put forward. Spain nominated Pablo Hernandez de Cos, ⁠the ​General Manager of the Bank for International Settlements, and the Netherlands nominated Klaas Knot, its former central bank chief.

Both candidates "are central bankers who are ⁠extremely competent—pragmatic. And so, I don’t think there will be any change. Both candidates represent ⁠a continuation of ⁠Christine Lagarde’s approach," Moulin said. Separately he said he expected French economic growth this year would be close to 0.3%.