FINLAND: Olli Rehn, whose campaign to become Finnish president ended on Sunday, will on Jan. 31 return to the position of governor of the Bank of Finland and a member of the European Central Bank's governing council, he told Reuters on Monday.
Rehn had been on leave from his job since June of last year to campaign for the presidency, but failed in Sunday's first round to qualify for the run-off election to be held next month. Rehn said his rapid return to the central bank after the campaign was in line with Finland's constitution as well as the Bank of Finland's and the ECB's ethical rules.
"I have followed the letter and spirit of these rules very carefully, including the independence, and will of course continue to do so," Rehn said in an email to Reuters, referring to the central bank's independence from political influence.