BRUSSELS, March 28 (UPI) -- Paul Wolfowitz seems certain to take over as World Bank president, but Europeans are now pushing for a counterweight, the Financial Times reports.
The effort by the continent's finance ministers is designed to gain greater European representation at the bank, the Times reported Monday.
Wolfowitz, currently the U.S. deputy defense secretary, is set to be confirmed Thursday. Earlier, his nomination to the post was seen in Europe as an effort by U.S. President George W. Bush to promote U.S. foreign policy.
Since his nomination, Wolfowitz has visited with European finance ministers to discuss his vision for the bank, and to listen to arguments for greater European representation, the report said.
However, France wants a strong new European deputy, mirroring the division of jobs at the International Monetary Fund, the lending arm of the World Bank.
By convention, Europe selects the IMF managing director and the United States appoints the first deputy managing director. French officials say there is need for a similar arrangement at the World Bank but that might upset some of the other existing conventions, the Times reported.
