LISBON, Jan 9 (Reuters) – Portugal’s Finance Ministry said on Friday it had submitted the candidacy of former Bank of Portugal Governor Mario Centeno to become the next Vice-President of the European Central Bank to the Eurogroup body comprising euro zone finance ministers.
Centeno led the Portuguese central bank from 2020 to October 2025, when he was succeeded by Alvaro Santos Pereira at the end of his term in October.
On the ECB’s Governing Council, Centeno was a vocal dove.
Candidates for the ECB vice-presidency need backing from their national governments before moving to an EU-level selection process involving the Eurogroup, the European Parliament and EU leaders.
(Reporting by Sergio Goncalves; editing by Andrei Khalip)