Spain's economy minister Calvino favourite to lead Eurogroup

Spain has proposed its economy minister, Nadia Calvino, to head the influential Eurogroup of 19 euro zone finance ministers, the government said on Thursday, as EU officials tipped her to secure the job.

Calvino, a technocrat who is also a deputy prime minister in Spain's left-wing coalition, may face competition from Luxembourg's socialist finance minister Pierre Gramegna and centre-right Irish counterpart Pascal Donohoe.

Proposals for candidates to the new Eurogroup chair, who will play a major role in designing policies for economic recovery after the coronavirus crisis, must be submitted by the end of Thursday ahead of a July 9 vote.

"It would be an honour for the Spanish Government, and for me as its president, if Nadia Calvino were to take on the Presidency," Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez tweeted. "For the first time, Spain and a woman would lead this institution."

Confirming her candidacy, Calvino, 51, an economist and former director general for the European Commission's community budget, said she would seek prosperity for all Europeans.