WASHINGTON — French Finance Minister Christine Lagarde is expected to be chosen as early as today to be the new leader of the International Monetary Fund.

Lagarde would be the first woman to lead the lending organization. She would replace Dominique Strauss-Kahn, who resigned last month after being charged with sexually assaulting a New York City hotel housekeeper. Lagarde was opposed by Agustin Carstens, a Mexican central banker whose candidacy never caught fire, even among developing countries.

Lagarde has broad support in Europe. And a high-ranking Chinese official said Monday that Beijing supports Lagarde, according to several reports.

U.S. officials haven’t publicly backed any candidate. But most analysts expect the Obama administration to support Lagarde. Combined, the United States, Europe and China hold a majority of votes on the IMF’s executive board.

The 24-member board represents the 187 members of the IMF, which lends to financially troubled countries. Members will seek to agree on a new managing director by consensus.

Lagarde’s selection will likely provoke protests from developing countries. Under an informal arrangement dating to the end of World War II, a European always leads the IMF and an American runs its sister organization, the World Bank. The United States also names the IMF’s top deputy. Developing nations have pushed to open the positions to candidates outside the United States and Europe.

Analysts say Europe and the United States aren’t willing to give up their privileges. And key developing countries, such as China, India and Brazil, tend to regard each other as rivals rather than allies. Carstens complained that he was at a disadvantage from the start because European officials moved quickly to close ranks behind Lagarde.

 

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