The betting begins

By The Economist online

The odds on potential successors to Dominique Strauss-Kahn

AS IMF boss Dominique Strauss-Kahn cools his heels in a New York jail on sex assault charges, there is widespread speculation on who his replacement might be. The head of the IMF has traditionally been a European, but calls from emerging countries to break with this unwritten rule, which they consider unfair, have been growing louder in the aftermath of the Strauss-Kahn imbroglio. But Europe seems unwilling to give up the privilege of having one of its own at the top of the IMF, particularly at a time when the IMF's main job is crafting bail-out packages for euro-area countries. Here are some of the people viewed to be plausible contenders to replace Mr Strauss-Kahn, and the odds on their getting the top job according to William Hill, a British bookmaker. A win for a non-European would be a first for the IMF, as would the appointment of Christine Lagarde, who would be the first woman to head the organisation.