France is backing former Dutch central bank governor Klaas Knot for European Central Bank president while seeking the chief economist position for a French candidate, an informal arrangement supported by French President Emmanuel Macron. Germany is expected to resist the proposal because it is also pursuing the board’s second most influential role. The succession debate has intensified amid speculation that Christine Lagarde and German Executive Board member Isabel Schnabel could leave before their terms expire in late 2027. Lagarde’s mandate formally ends in October 2027, while Chief Economist Philip Lane’s term expires in May. The ECB president and five other Executive Board members are appointed by consensus among leaders of the euro zone’s 21 countries. Knot, who led De Nederlandsche Bank from 2011 to 2025, is viewed as a pragmatic hawk. His main rival is former Bank of Spain governor Pablo Hernández de Cos. French candidates for chief economist include Banque de France Deputy Governor Agnes Benassy-Quere, Laurence Boone and Helene Rey.