China would support French Finance Minister Christine Lagarde as the next IMF chief, Reuters quoted the French government as saying on Tuesday, providing backing that would put her in a leading position to succeed Dominique Strauss-Kahn. Lagarde has emerged as the top candidate to replace Strauss-Kahn, although there are signs of a rift with emerging nations that say it is time for Europe's 60-year grip on the top job at the International Monetary Fund to be loosened. Mexico's top central banker said some countries are warming to his candidacy and there are hints that South Africa and Kazakhstan may put forward their own candidates. European governments want to retain their traditional control over the leadership of the multilateral lender while it is involved in major bailouts of Greece, Ireland and Portugal. A number, including Britain and Italy, have said they would back Lagarde ,and Ireland added its support on Tuesday. Germany has yet to declare, but Chancellor Angela Merkel says she rates Lagarde highly. "It's a European consensus," Francois Baroin, France's budget minister and government spokesman, told Europe 1 radio of views on Lagarde as a contender for the job. "The euro needs our attention. We need to have the Europeans (on board), the Chinese support the candidacy of Christine Lagarde," he said.
