Vujčić will bring first Central-Eastern European representation to ECB board, but diversity gap remains

Press Release

Strasbourg, 10 March 2026

Vujčić will bring first Central-Eastern European representation to ECB board, but diversity gap remains - Positive Money Europe

Today, in a historic vote, MEPs approved the nomination of Boris Vujčić to become Vice-President of the European Central Bank.

Mr Vujčić is the first member of the central bank’s executive board to come from a central and eastern European country - with 460 votes in favour, 68 votes against and 91 abstentions. 

Laura Casonato is Head of Policy at Positive Money Europe, a Brussels-based organisation that researches and campaigns for visible democracy and representation in the workings of the European Central Bank and the processes that appoint its members.

‘This historic approval of Croatia’s central bank governor, Boris Vujčić, means that, for the first time, 7 of the 21 countries that have their monetary policy managed by the ECB, have a regional representative on the central bank’s executive board. 

While Positive Money Europe welcomes this new level of inclusion and representation of predominantly smaller countries,  it’s historically still very much a boy’s club - with just one female President of the ECB ever, the incumbent Christine Lagarde with only 4 women featuring on the board. 

Boris Vujčić now has the opportunity to be part of real change. We hope he won’t simply be more of the same, but will help steer the ECB toward building a fairer economy that works for both people and the planet.”

The post of Vice-President of the European Central Bank (ECB) is becoming vacant as a result of the end of mandate of Spain's Luis De Guindos on the 31st May.

Mr Vujčić now waits to be appointed by the European Council as article 283 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union stipulates that the ECB's President, Vice-President and the other members of the Executive Board shall be appointed by the European Council, acting by a qualified majority, on a recommendation from the Council, after it has consulted the European Parliament and the Governing Council of the ECB.

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