Spain says Calvino out of race for IMF head

[August 02, 2019]  MADRID (Reuters) - Spain's Economy Minister Nadia Calvino is no longer a candidate for the top job at the International Monetary Fund, a government spokeswoman said on Friday, citing the need to find a common European Union candidate as the reason behind the withdrawal.

"We announce that the government aims to reach a European agreement, without Economy Minister Nadia Calvino participating in the next phase," the spokeswoman said in a short statement.

European Union governments will try on Friday to choose the bloc's candidate to lead the International Monetary Fund from a list of four names, a spokeswoman for the French finance ministry said, but divisions could delay a compromise solution.

(Reporting by Isla Binnie and Andrei Khalip)

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