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Support for French finance minister Christine Lagarde to take charge of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) is gaining momentum.The race for the leadership of the IMF was thrown open last week when managing director Dominique Strauss-Kahn resigned after being arrested on charges of attempted rape.
Mr Strauss-Kahn, a leading contender for the French presidency until his arrest, has denied the charges.
But his departure leaves the IMF without a leader at a crucial time for Europe's debt crisis and the fragile global recovery.
French interior minister Claude Gueant, a former chief of staff to president Nicolas Sarkozy, says Ms Lagarde would make an excellent head of the Washington-based lender.
"I hope it will be a European, and Christine Lagarde obviously has all the qualities to be an excellent director of the IMF. And besides, many countries support her," he told Europe 1 radio.
He is the first member of France's cabinet to openly tout her credentials, but Ms Lagarde has also received backing from other countries.
With the IMF due to accept nominations from Monday, European powers have already started to close ranks behind a regional candidate, saying it is crucial the next managing director has knowledge of Europe, where the lender is heavily involved.
British chancellor of the exchequer George Osborne said the 55-year-old was an "outstanding candidate", while Germany's Angela Merkel has described her a "figure of excellent standing".
With the support of the region's three largest economies appearing to guarantee Ms Lagarde the European nomination, she would only realistically require the backing of the US to secure the post.
Ms Lagarde impressed finance chiefs in Washington and Beijing for the way she steered the global economy during France's G20 presidency this year.
She is also a fluent English speaker, having worked as a lawyer in the US for 20 years.
Her chances have been given another lift after Turkey's former economy minister Kema Dervis pulled out of the race.
But other nations argue it is time to end 65 years of European domination of the IMF post.
Mexico is leaning towards nominating its central bank chief Agustin Carstens, a former deputy managing director at the IMF.
The finance ministers of Australia and South Africa, who jointly chair a G20 committee on reform of the IMF, say the tradition that the fund's managing director was European was out of date.
They called for G20 nations to honour a pledge made two years ago for an open selection.
The IMF has said a new chief would be appointed by June 30.
Meanwhile Mr Strauss-Kahn left jail on Friday and was expected to stay in an apartment in Manhattan for a few days until permanent housing can be found as he prepares his defence.
He denies the sexual assault accusations made by a hotel maid, a 32-year-old widow from Guinea. He is due to reappear in court on June 6 to formally answer the charges.
A trial may be six months or more away. If convicted, Mr Strauss-Kahn could face 25 years in prison.
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