Will Nadia Calviño be the next president of the European Investment Bank? All the clues suggest yes, although within the EU framework nothing is almost ever certain.. The issue of charges is like a game of chess, and the movements of pieces bring the acting vice president closer to the Luxembourg-based organization for a position that she would assume on January 1, 2024.. Calviño competes, in the final race, with the European Commissioner for Competition, Margrethe Vestager, and starts as a favorite against her – despite the fact that there are more options, such as the former Italian Minister of Finance, Daniele Franco -, as 20minutes reported a few years ago. weeks.

This weekend the Ministers of Economy of the Union meet in Santiago de Compostela in a Council under the Spanish presidency that seems decisive for the election of Calviño, although this could be delayed until October if the reluctance that some States still show is not resolved. members. For example, Germany is concerned about national dynamics, with a government in office, even despite the good harmony that the vice president has with the German economic minister, Christian Lindner.. In the case of France, the focus is on the investments that can be made by the EIB in nuclear energy, something from which Spain distances itself.. but the EU as a whole does not have to do so.

All in all, there is an element that works quite in favor of Nadia Calviño in her intention to return to the European sphere (she was already Director General of Budgets of the European Commission before assuming the position of Minister): the ECB has nominated Claudia Buch to preside over the Single Supervisory Mechanism against Margarita Delgado, and although this process has not ended, the almost complete dismissal of Delgado leaves all the doors open to the number two in the Executive, since Spain would not occupy two positions of a very similar nature.

The sources consulted by 20minutos draw an optimistic map for Calviño's aspirations. “Right now it is in a very good position,” they comment, especially because it has already obtained the 'yes' of some Member States, such as Portugal, and also because it is “promoting its candidacy more than others.”. These years, the sources conclude, Calviño has acquired “experience in national government” which was “what he needed to move to a position of this type.”

In this scenario, some of the other countries have given some clues and Paris precisely recognizes the skills of the Spanish leader. “I firmly believe that he has all the necessary skills, but we have to talk among all the ministers to make a final decision,” warned the French Finance Minister, Bruno Le Maire.. He asks, however, “not to force the process” and assures that his Executive will announce his support – to whomever – “when the right time comes.”

Calviño herself prefers to be cautious, and does not consider the meeting in Galicia to be decisive for the election to the EIB. “Personally, I am not going to address this issue because I do not think it would be appropriate. It would not seem appropriate to me taking into account that I chair these informal Ecofin meetings and that we are in Spain and not only in Spain, but in my land, in Galicia, here in Santiago de Compostela,” he said.. Right now Spain holds the position of High Representative, in the hands of Josep Borrell, and could be in a good position, who knows, to have either a strong vice-presidency in the next Commission or another position such as the presidency of the European Council, always depending on the balances between the different political families. At the same time, the options are reduced, if Calviño ends up in Luxembourg, for the European Agency against Money Laundering to have Madrid as its headquarters – although Spain already has several Union agencies and that also works against it.

The European Investment Bank was created in 1958 and provides financing for projects that contribute to achieving the objectives of the EU, both inside and outside it.. Its objectives are also to boost Europe's growth and employment potential, support measures to mitigate climate change and promote EU policies in other countries.. Likewise, it is financed in the capital markets and grants loans on favorable conditions for projects that contribute to the objectives of the European Union.. Nearly 90% of the credits are granted in the EU but not a euro comes from the community budget.