Finance minister Jeroen Dijsselbloem, elected leader of the EU euro group on Monday evening, says he is not in favour of ejecting any countries from the eurozone.

This is in direct opposition to his predecessor Jan Kees de Jager and current prime minister Mark Rutte, says the Financieele Dagblad.

Dijsselbloem told the paper the euro group has entered a new phase. ‘The deepest point of the crisis is behind us and it is not fruitful to continue discussing the integrity of the eurozone and keeping it together,’ he told the FD.

The minister said earlier he would follow his predecessor’s policy, which is supported by parliament. That policy said having to leave the eurozone was the final consequence for countries that do not keep to European agreements on restructuring and budgets.

‘We now have to concentrate on strengthening the eurozone, which has remained together through the crisis. Asking which countries should stay in the eurozone does not help,’ Dijsselbloem said.