Jeroen Dijsselbloem and Mário Centeno – Picture by EU.
12 January 2018, Embassy of Portugal in France, Paris: Portugal’s Finance Minister, Mário Centeno, assumed the leadership of the Eurogroup from the hands of the Dutch Jeroen Dijsselbloem at his homeland’s chancery in Paris. Because the Eurogroup is an informal organisation in the EU framework, no official ceremony was held from the EU side.
Centeno was elected Eurogroup President on 4 December 2017 after defeating the Luxembourgian Pierre Gramegna on the second round of votes.
Centeno is but the third president of the forum of EU Finance Ministers belonging to the Euro, after the Luxembourgian Jean-Claude Juncker, and the Dutch Jeroen Dijsselbloem. His term lasts two and a half year till 2020. However to end his mandate, he must be reappointed Finance Minister of Portugal after the legislative elections in his country taking place in 2019, for only office holders of that ministry can lead the Eurogroup.
Dijsselbloem was the informal leader for five years.
For further information:
https://www.ft.com/content/3eef2998-d90c-11e7-a039-c64b1c09b482
