EU nations to vote on Friday for IMF chief

International Monetary Fund (IMF) Managing Director Christine Lagarde shows a pin's she holds in solidarity with a Swiss nation-wide women's strike for wage parity during her speech at the ILO International Labour Conference in Geneva. (Photo by AFP)

European Union member states will vote on Friday on who the bloc should put forward as a candidate to head the International Monetary Fund after they failed in talks to rally behind one single person, a French finance ministry official said.

Five names are in the mix, the official said on Thursday, although the vote was pushed back to Friday to allow Britain's new government time to nominate a candidate, should Britain wish to do so.

"The ministers of the 28 member states agreed to proceed to a vote, over several rounds if necessary, to find a European candidate," said the French finance ministry official.