Spanje wijst Mersch af als kandidaat (en)

BRUSSELS - Spain has blocked the speedy appointment of Luxembourger Yves Mersch to join the European Central Bank (ECB) board amid a controversy on sexism.

Mersch was due to be installed in the post by "written procedure" on Monday (5 November) - a protocol in which EU capitals send their agreement to Brussels in writing instead of holding a debate.

But Spain withheld its assent to the use of the written format, meaning that EU leaders are likely to tackle the thorny subject at the summit on 22 November instead.

The delay comes amid a controversy on gender balance.

The European Parliament in a non-binding resolution called for Mersch, the head of Luxembourg's central bank, to be held back because his appointment would mean there will be no women on the ECB board until 2016 at the earliest.

"They should nominate two new candidates - a man and woman and the best should get the job," the leader of the Liberal group, former Belgian PM Guy Verhoftsdat said at the time.

Spanish diplomats did not immediately explain why Madrid took the step.

But Spain itself proposed a male Spanish lawyer, Antonio Sainz de Vicuna, for the post earlier this year.

An assistant to Sharon Bowles, a British Liberal MEP who heads parliament's economic affairs committee told this website that Bowles is "pleased" that Mersch was blocked because she did not like the behind-closed-doors decision-making process.

"We didn't like the way it was being done and now we can have a full democratic debate on the subject," the contact said.

But some member states are irked that parliament waited so late before raising objections. One contact said MEPs should have lobbied Luxembourg, Madrid and other capitals months ago when the nominations were taking shape.

A contact at the ECB in Frankfurt noted that its chief Mario Draghi has said several times that he favours "diversity" but that he wants a speedy board appointment so that the bank can get on with its work.