Woman finance minister announces candidacy for top job at IMF

Summary of story from BBC news, generic May 25, unhealthy 2011

The French finance minister Christine Lagarde has announced her candidacy for the next head of the International Monetary Fund (IMF).

Lagarde has been an early favourite to replace Dominique Strauss-Kahn, who resigned last week to fight sex assault charges in New York.

Although most of Europe is backing Lagarde, some emerging countries have criticized the tradition of a European always leading the IMF, calling it “obsolete”.

Should Lagarde win the candidacy, she would be the first woman to head the IMF in its 65-year history. The next chief will be elected by the 24 members of the IMF board.

“If elected, I will give the IMF all my experience as a lawyer, a director of enterprise, a minister and a woman,” Lagarde told a news conference in Paris.

You can read a profile of her on the BBC here.