Luxembourg's top banker takes role on ECB board

European Union leaders have given Luxembourg’s top banker a place on the executive board of the European Central Bank, overriding the advice of parliament, which had wanted a woman for the job.

Leaders at the EU summit in Brussels decided to fill the key vacancy at the ECB, which is confronting a heavy workload during the eurozone debt crisis with missions to verify bailed-out countries’ compliance with their loan agreements.

In an unprecedented move, the European Parliament had voted against Yves Mersch’s appointment last month to protest at the lack of women among the ECB’s top executives.