IMF: today the choice. Lagarde in pole position

In the early afternoon, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) meets to decide who will replace Dominique Strauss-Kahn as director general. Two candidates will be examined: the French one of Christine Lagarde, the favorite, and the Mexican one of Agustin Carstens. A meeting of the board of directors is scheduled in Washington at 10.00 local time (14.00 Italian time).
The 24 members, of which only one is a woman, would like to decide their successor by Thursday at the latest, "by consensus". If unanimity is not reached, a vote will be used.
Lagarde obtained the important support of China on Monday. It can also count on the support of the seven representatives of the European Union, Egypt and Togo. In total he has 10 assured votes. Against her, Carstens fields only four certain supporters: his Mexican compatriot, an Argentine, an Australian and a Canadian. But a fifth, a Brazilian, has hinted that he will join this group.
Japan and the United States, the two countries whose representatives have the most voting rights, have agreed to remain silent until the end. However, the US Treasury Secretary, Timothy Geithner, hinted yesterday that the decision could be taken today in favor of the French. “I'm sure we're going to see someone appear who is well supported,” he said.
The election of the managing director of the Monetary Fund has so far been limited to choosing a candidate from the European Union, backed by the United States. Since 1946 a tacit agreement has given the former the direction of the IMF and the latter the presidency of the World Bank.