23/03/2018 (Agence Europe) – On Thursday 22 March, the heads of state or government formally appointed the former Spanish Finance Minister, Luis de Guindos, to the post of vice-president of the European Central Bank (ECB). De Guindos will take over from Portugal's Vitor Constâncio at the beginning of June. Readers may recall that the Eurozone finance ministers sent a recommendation to this effect to the European Council on 20 February (see EUROPE 11965) further to the Eurogroup decision of 19 February (see EUROPE 11964). The members of the European Parliament, who were consulted on the matter, approved de Guindos' appointment to this position by a narrow majority on 14 March (see EUROPE 11981). (LT)