A senior official of Italy's ruling Nord Lega has expressed opposition to Jens Weidmann becoming the next governor of the European Central Bank, saying the appointment could lead Europe to disintegrate.
Mario Draghi, the European Central Bank's governor, is due to step down when his eight-year term expires in October 2019. Draghi is an Italian.
Germany is seen as eager to claim the presidency for the first time two decades after the ECB was created. Bundesbank President Weidmann has not been formally put into office, but is widely seen as the most obvious candidate.
Opponents of Weidmann's candidacy argue that his hard-line views on tightening monetary policy as well as fiscal policy could lead Europe to disintegrate, on the contrary to Draghi's decision to buy sovereign bonds or so-called QE that led to hold bloc together.
While Italy does not have a direct veto, major powers have traditionally approved a candidate, so Italy's opposition will be a major obstacle. Italy wants to retain influence at the European Central Bank top.
Several sources said Italy wanted to support Andrea Enrià or Ignazio Angeloni to replace Daniel Nouy as ECB bank supervisory chief, which his term expires on Dec. 31.
