EUROZONE : DIJSSELBLOEM FRONT-RUNNER FOR HEAD OF EUROGROUP.

• Position: Jeroen Dijsselbloem - Brief article

Jeroen Dijsselbloem, who became the Netherland's finance minister two months ago at age 46, appears to have an edge to take over from Luxembourg Premier Jean-Claude Juncker at the head of the Eurogroup. A decision will be taken at the Eurogroup meeting, on 21 January.

In July 2012, Juncker received another two-and-a-half year mandate from the eurozone's finance ministers but he assured he would not remain in post the entire time. To find his replacement, very few criteria are available for the selection of the Eurogroup president: he or she is to be elected for two and a half years, by a majority of eurozone ministers (Article 2 of Protocol 14 annexed to the TFEU). Some consider that the candidate should come from a country with a triple A' credit rating. Others want it to be a person who can act as a link between richer member states and poorer ones. Austria's Finance Minister Maria Fekter wanted a head of state or government.

German Finance Minister Wolfgang Schauble and French Finance...