Parliament snubs ECB on ‘gender bias’

EUObserver reported that MEPs on the Economic and Monetary Affairs Committee accused eurozone finance ministers of 'gender bias' on the 22 October 2012 in a vote against the nomination of Yves Mersch to the board of the European Central Bank (ECB).

On the 25 October 2012 MEPs gave a final thumbs down to the Council’s intransigence in failing to commit to a better gender balance within what is effectively Europe's most powerful financial institution, the European Central Bank. By a narrow margin, the plenary session confirmed the rejection of candidate ECB Executive Board member Yves Mersch, as recommended by the Economic and Monetary Affairs Committee.

• Primary Source

BBC News, 25.10.12: MEPs reject nominee Mersch over men-only ECB board http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-20083702

EP: Press Release, 25.10.12: Men only ECB rejected by MEPs http://www.europarl.europa.eu/news/en/pressroom/content/20121024IPR54369/

EurActiv, 25.10.12: Parliament votes against an all-male ECB board http://www.euractiv.com/euro-finance/parliament-votes-male-ecb-board-news-515672

EUObserver, 05.11.12: Spain blocks male appointment to ECB board http://euobserver.com/economic/118095

La Tribune, 26.11.12: ECB: Eurozone leaders disregard democracy (via PressEurop) http://www.presseurop.eu/en/content/article/3078501-eurozone-leaders-disregard-democracy

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