European Parliaments calls for Wolfowitz ouster

April 26 (EIRNS)--On Wednesday, in a vote of 333 to 251 with 31 abstentions, the European Parliament called for the resignation of World Bank President Paul Wolfowitz. The parliamentarians asked European Union leaders to press the White House to fire Wolfowitz at an EU-US summit in Washington scheduled for Monday, April 30. The resolution called on Germany, the current holder of the presidency of the 27-nation parliament, and the United States to ask Wolfowitz to resign. The resolution reads in part that they should "signal to the president of the World Bank, Paul Wolfowitz, that his withdrawal from the post would be a welcome step towards preventing the bank's anti-corruption policy from being undermined."

According to the Scotsman, European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso and German Chancellor Angela Merkel are attending the summit with President George W. Bush.

Meanwhile, according to the New York Times, Wolfowitz sent a letter to the Bank's board complaining that he was being treated "shabbily and unfairly" and asking to appear before the board next week in the interest of "fairness to me" and "good governance" at the bank. The board met late Wednesday, but put off responding to Wolfowitz until next week. The bank had earlier signaled that it was disinclined to let Wolfowitz's lawyer Robert Bennett to appear with him before the board to give him a month, which he had requested to make his case.

At the same time, the bank's vice presidents have rebuffed his request for them to set up a committee to advise him on improving his "management style," not wanting to contribute to helping him stay in office.

With the European Parliament vote calling for his ouster, Wolfowitz's departure is only a matter of time.