Democracy begins at home. If the World Bank is to be a leading force in the promotion of good governance in developing countries, its own governance must move beyond backroom politics. The bank is now choosing a president. The first steps of this process have been unsatisfactory, based on the idea that the US can choose the president without competition and with no questions asked. Before the bank is further damaged, there is an urgent need to make amends.

In spite of the World Bank being a multilateral institution of 184 member governments, its presidency is widely assumed to be owned by the White House. Europe seems happy to play along, presumably to ensure its own "ownership" of other international posts. The 150-plus developing countries are relegated to the back benches.