24/11/2020 (Agence Europe) – On Tuesday 24 November, the European Parliament gave its approval, by a narrow majority (319 votes for, 202 against, with 171 abstentions) to the appointment of Frank Elderson (Netherlands) to the Executive Board of the European Central Bank, thereby endorsing the recommendation from the relevant parliamentary committee (see EUROPE 12599/33). Elderson, whose appointment still needs to be formally approved by the European Council, will replace Yves Mersch from Luxembourg on 14 December. The European Parliament regularly criticises the procedures for appointing senior public positions in the banking and financial sectors, calling for a gender-balanced shortlist of two candidates to be drawn up in a systematic fashion. It calls on national and European institutions to work actively to achieve a gender balance in future appointments. (MB)