France backs Spanish candidate to lead Eurogroup of finance ministers

PARIS (Reuters) - France will back Spanish Economy Minister Nadia Calvino for the presidency of the Eurogroup of euro zone finance ministers, French Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire said on Thursday.

"We support Nadia Calvino because she showed her competency during the Eurogroup meetings of recent months, and we support her because we share with Spain the same desire for stronger euro zone integration," Le Maire told journalists.

Euro zone finance ministers are due to vote late on Thursday on the group's presidency, for which Pascal Donohoe of Ireland and Pierre Gramegna of Luxembourg are also candidates.

(Reporting by Leigh Thomas; editing by Richard Lough)