Reasons why not, are numerous, many raised on my blog, under Christine Lagarde. Reasons why, seem to be a) She would like the job, (BBC Today programme on Friday, b) She knows the EU’s problems intimately as she is partly responsible for them and that is where IMF cash will mostly be needed in the coming years and c) As an ex-member of the French Synchronised Swim Team, she can point her toes beautifully as she rises from the water, beneath which she will quickly submerge that organisation and distractions as reality dawns upon the world will ,no doubt, then be welcome!
The IMF deserves better. One suggestion is in this CV, copied from the OECD website linked here:
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Angel Gurría, OECD Secretary-General (CV)
Born on May 8th, 1950, in Tampico, Mexico, Angel Gurría came to the OECD following a distinguished career in public service, including two ministerial posts.
As Mexico’s Minister of Foreign Affairs from December 1994 to January 1998, he made dialogue and consensus-building one of the hallmarks of his approach to global issues. From January 1998 to December 2000, he was Mexico’s Minister of Finance and Public Credit. For the first time in a generation, he steered Mexico’s economy through a change of Administration without a recurrence of the financial crises that had previously dogged such changes.
As OECD Secretary-General, since June 2006, he has reinforced the OECD’s role as a ‘hub” for global dialogue and debate on economic policy issues while pursuing internal modernization and reform. Under his leadership, OECD has expanded its membership to include Chile, Estonia, Israel and Slovenia and opened accession talks with Russia. It has also strengthened links with other major emerging economies, including Brazil, China, India, Indonesia and South Africa, with a view to possible membership. The OECD is now an active participant in both the G-8 and the G-20 Summit processes.
Mr. Gurría has participated in various international not-for-profit bodies, including the Population Council, based in New York, and the Center for Global Development based in Washington. He chaired the International Task Force on Financing Water for All and continues to be deeply involved in water issues. He is a member of the International Advisory Board of Governors of the Centre for International Governance Innovation, based in Canada, and was the first recipient of the Globalist of the Year Award of the Canadian International Council to honour his efforts as a global citizen to promote trans-nationalism, inclusiveness, and a global consciousness.
Mr. Gurría holds a B.A. degree in Economics from UNAM (Mexico), and a M.A. degree in Economics from Leeds University (United Kingdom). He speaks: Spanish, French, English, Portuguese, Italian and some German.
He is married to Dr. Lulu Quintana, a distinguished ophthalmologist, and they have three adult children.
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On the other hand, even Mexico seems a little close to the seat of the world’s economic problems, does the Southern Hemisphere really lack a candidate of substance?
If he’s married to Dr. Lulu, he definitely should have the job.
I thought the Leeds connection might grab some attention and confess to missing the Dr Lulu angle!
d) The French think they should control the IMF
Does the world actually need the IMF? Isn’t it about time some of the nations learned to stand on their own feet or is it a matter of propping up some bad calls by speculators?