Strasbourg, 11/05/2005 (Agence Europe) - Unsurprisingly, the European Parliament approved the nomination of Lorenzo Bini-Smaghi on 11 May as a member of the board of the European Central Bank, to replace Tommaso Padoa Schioppa, who is retiring (see EUROPE 8931 for Mr Bini-Smaghi's hearing in parliamentary committee). 410 voted in favour of Mr Bini-Smaghi, 88 against and 92 abstained. Mr Bini-Smaghi will certainly make “a good central banker”, said French Socialist Pervenche Berès, president of the EP's economic and monetary committee, adding: furthermore, he brings “added value” on two points, “a certain sense of communication”, which will be “very useful” at the ECB, and “a vision fed by his multitude of skills”. He is perfectly cut out to take over from Mr Padoa-Schioppa, who played an excellent role, agreed European Commissioner Joaquin Almunia, who spoke of Mr Bini-Smaghi's work at the Banca d'Italia and within the economic and financial committee of the EU. Mr Almunia stressed that the choice had not been made on the basis of nationality, but on the grounds of skill, even though it is the second time that a board member has been replaced with one of their compatriots (the first case being Spanish: Ed). The only discordant voice in this short debate belonged to Luca Romagnoli (Movimento sociale/Fiamma Tricolore), who expressed full respect for Mr Bini-Smaghi but spoke out against the “usurious” practices of the institution he is preparing to join. In his hearing, the Italian independent added, Mr Bini-Smaghi took position in favour of the Constitution, in favour of a Stability Pact which limits the freedom of the States, and against a drop in interest rates.