Washington (AFP)

The directors of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) recommended Wednesday to remove the age limit imposed on the post of director general, thus removing the last obstacle to the appointment of the Bulgarian Kristalina Georgieva.

It is now up to the governors who represent the member countries to endorse the decision, but the outcome is beyond doubt.

Mrs Georgieva appointed by the EU to replace Christine Lagarde - the first woman to lead the IMF - is too old for a few days according to the current rules of the Fund, which does not allow to apply if one is 65 years old. Mrs. Georgieva, born on August 13, 1953, is 66 years old.

The directors also recommend removing the age limit for being a director general at age 70.

The vote will run from August 21 to September 4 and a simple majority will suffice.

The Fund's directors justify their proposal by explaining that this would put the terms governing the position, in agreement with those of the other managers of the Fund - principals and governors - and with his counterpart at the World Bank, who is not no age limit.

The Fund's press release recalls that the applications to replace Ms. Largarde can still be submitted until September 6, a little less than a week before the effective resignation of the Frenchwoman on September 12.

The selection will be made no later than October 4, says the Fund's press release.

By custom, the management of the International Monetary Fund has returned to a European and that of the World Bank to an American, since the creation of these two institutions at Bretton Woods in 1944.

The appointment of Ms Georgieva as head of the IMF is hardly in doubt after her appointment as EU candidate on 2 August after a close vote that highlighted the divisions within the Union .

- Solid experience -

Number 2 of the World Bank until her appointment by the EU, Ms. Georgieva has a solid experience in international finance. She also enjoys the status of a woman and a national of an Eastern European country.

At the World Bank, where she spent most of her career before becoming Executive Director in 2017, she gained expertise in the field of the environment by multiplying functions in the areas of sustainable development and agricultural issues in particular.

The economist also held the post of European Commissioner for Humanitarian Aid between 2010 and 2014, when she had to replace Bulgaria's initial candidate at short notice.

Ms Georgieva was also for one year, between 2015 and 2016, Vice-President of the Juncker Commission in charge of Budget and Human Resources.

In 2016, this diplomat, who has the ability to convince and build consensus, had already been an unexpected finalist in the election to the post of UN Secretary-General, eventually awarded to the Portuguese Antonio Guterres.

- Appreciated -

As a child, this attractive woman with short hair was described as a little girl "who did not go out of her books".

Student, the quiet girl became "the flame and the soul of the holidays" where she took her guitar willingly, according to the testimony of Borislav Borisov, a former university friend who has also described as "darling" of all.

She is fluent in Russian and has developed good relations in Moscow during her years as Director for Russia at the World Bank between 2004 and 2007.

She joined the institution in 1993, after a few years of teaching, notably at the prestigious Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in the United States.

Politically, she never had any elective office in her country, where her fellow citizens discovered her when she was appointed to the European Commission. It is related to the moderate and pro-European right of the European People's Party (EPP).

Ms. Georgieva is married and has one child.

© 2019 AFP