European Parliament approves Croatia’s Boris Vujčić as next ECB vice-president

Boris Vujčić (Photo: HNB)

STRASBOURG, 10 March 2026 (Hina) – The European Parliament has overwhelmingly approved the appointment of Croatian National Bank governor Boris Vujčić as vice-president of the European Central Bank.

In a secret ballot held during the Parliament’s plenary session in Strasbourg, 460 Members of the European Parliament voted in favour of Vujčić’s appointment, while 68 voted against.

The decision now moves to the European Council, where EU leaders are expected to give final confirmation at their summit on 19–20 March.

If confirmed, Vujčić will assume the role on 1 June.

The European Central Bank, based in Frankfurt, serves as the central bank for the 20 countries that make up the eurozone. Its primary mandate is to maintain price stability and oversee monetary policy across the bloc.

The ECB’s Executive Board consists of the president, vice-president and four other members. All are appointed by the European Council for a single, non-renewable eight-year term and must be nationals of eurozone member states with strong reputations and experience in banking or monetary policy.

The ECB is currently led by president Christine Lagarde.

Following his nomination, Vujčić said the appointment represents recognition of the work carried out by the Croatian National Bank, particularly Croatia’s successful adoption of the euro and its contribution to the functioning of the eurozone.

He stressed that, if confirmed by EU leaders, he will focus on maintaining price stability, strengthening the resilience of the financial system and preserving public trust in the euro.

Vujčić added that he will continue to carry out his duties as governor of the Croatian National Bank until he takes up the new position, thanking the bank’s employees for their dedication.

Born in Zagreb on 2 June 1964, Vujčić studied economics at the University of Zagreb Faculty of Economics and Business, graduating in 1988 and earning his doctorate in 1996.

He later completed doctoral studies at Michigan State University as a Fulbright Program scholar and also worked at the European Commission on monetary affairs.

After leading the research department at the Croatian National Bank, he became deputy governor in 2000 and later governor, while also contributing to Croatia’s EU accession negotiations.

Over his career he has taught at universities, published numerous academic papers and received international recognition, including awards from GlobalMarkets and The Banker, which named him among the world’s leading central bank governors.