The occurrence in extremis of a third candidate could thwart the ambitions of Christine Lagarde and Mexican Agustin Carstens, until that night still only competitors to head the International Monetary Fund (IMF). The Governor of the Central Bank of Israel, Stanley Fischer, was a surprise Saturday night by making public his candidacy at the last minute, just before the deadline. While the economy minister was previously considered the favorite to succeed Dominique Strauss-Kahn's candidacy Israel could reshuffle the cards in the game
World-renowned economist, Stanley Fischer had been a time favors the Financial Times, The Wall Street Journal and Euromoney. The Isrélien, whose CV is like a flawless, no stranger to the IMF.Former vice president and chief economist of the World Bank until 1990, he served as deputy director of the IMF from 1994 to 2001. University, he was also the thesis of Olivier Blanchard, the current Chief Economist of the Fund, during its years of teaching at MIT. After several years in the private sector, during which he served as deputy director of Citigroup and president of International Citigoup, he was appointed and then renewed in March at the head of the Israeli central bank.
At age 67, age is a weak point
The good health of the Israeli economy, which has weathered the crisis virtually unhindered, could also play in his favor. With growth of 4.7% in 2010 and forecasts growth for 2011 of around 5.4% according to the OECD, Israel recorded the best economic performance since its inception in 1948.The fruit, as recently explained the Israeli Finance Minister Yuval Steinitz of the Figaro, heterodox economic policy implemented in this country since 2008. Unlike most Western countries, Israel has chosen to raise the VAT while pointing the recession, while pledging to cut taxes in 2017.
"We invested all our energy and our money to provide reassuring outlook for consumers and businesses. Because if you aggravate fiscal deficits in order to preserve the current situation, nobody wants to invest because of lack of confidence in an economy unable to balance its accounts, "explained Yuval Steinitz last week with Le Figaro. A strategy that could fly as Europe struggles to cope with the excessive debt of some of its members.
The nomination of Stanley Fischer, however, suffers from a double reef.His dual nationality Israeli-American could play against him, insofar as director of the IMF is traditionally awarded to a European. Another weak point: his age. At 67, Stanley Fischer is two years age limit for applying to head the IMF. The Indian economist Montek Singh Ahluwalia, 68, had already had to throw in the towel at the end of last month.
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