The resignation of Mario Centeno as........>

EUROZONE: The resignation of Mario Centeno as President of the Eurogroup (the

group of finance ministers representing states using the euro as their

currency), announced on June 9, has already sparked a race as to who will be his

successor.

- The three leading contenders are Irish Finance Minister Paschal Donohoe,

Spain's Nadia Calvino, and Luxembourg's Pierre Gramegna. None have officially

announced their candidacies yet.

- Gramegna is likely to be favourite for the position. 

- Donohoe comes from the Fine Gael party, which sits as part of the centre-right

European People's Party. There is already some disquiet about the EPP claiming

too many senior EU positions and as such a candidate from the centre-left

Socialists and Democrats group is likely to be preferred.

- Calvino's candidacy could be derailed by Spain already holding a senior EU

position in the form of High Representative of the European Union for Foreign

Affairs and Security Policy Josep Borrell.