Leading voices in Europe say another European should head the International Monetary Fund (IMF) following the resignation of Dominique Strauss-Kahn.
German Chancellor Angela Merkel and European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso's comments come amid debate over whether the next IMF chief should come from the developing world.
Merkel said a European was needed in light of the Euro-Zone's problems.
Strauss-Kahn is in jail in the U.S., accused of trying to rape a hotel maid.
He denies the charges and will make a second application for bail later on Thursday.
Strauss-Kahn had been coming under mounting international pressure to leave his post amid the furore over his arrest.
In a statement posted on the IMF website late on Wednesday, he said he resigned with "infinite sadness", but wanted to "devote all my strength, all my time, and all my energy to proving my innocence".
Strauss-Kahn's deputy, John Lipsky, has been placed in interim control of the organisation, and the IMF says it will release information "in the near future" about the appointment of a permanent successor.
Analysts say a battle is looming over who will head the IMF amid growing calls for it to reflect the growing power of emerging economies.
But Merkel -- who leads Europe's biggest economy -- said she was in favour of another European candidate.
"Of course, developing nations are within their rights in the medium term to occupy the post of either IMF head of World Bank chief," she told the AFP news agency.
A spokeswoman for Mr Barroso was quoted as saying it was "only natural that the member states of the European Union, as the biggest contributor to the fund, agree on a strong and competent candidate who can rally support from the IMF membership".
She said talks were likely to identify a "strong European candidate".
But South Africa, Brazil and Mexico are among developing nations urging the IMF to abandon the tradition of reserving the post for a European -- with Brazil saying that era is "over".
On Thursday a Chinese government spokeswoman said the selection process should be based on "merit, transparency and fairness", Reuters news agency reported.
She was quoted as saying "we believe that emerging and developing countries should have representation at senior levels".
However, the IMF's 24-member executive board votes to fill the top post, and the G7 established economic powers retain a majority on the board.
There is an array of potential candidates from around the world, but some experts believe French Finance Minister Christine Lagarde would be hard to beat if she entered the contest.
Strauss-Kahn is accused of sexually assaulting a 32-year-old maid in New York's Sofitel hotel last weekend.
The Frenchman is charged with committing a criminal sexual act, attempted rape, sexual abuse, unlawful imprisonment and forcible touching.
On Monday, a judge in New York denied Mr Strauss-Kahn bail -- despite the offer of a $1-million U.S. guarantee -- saying there was a risk the IMF chief would flee the country.
However, he will make a new plea for bail at a court hearing on Thursday morning.
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