BERLIN, Feb 6 (Reuters) - German Chancellor Angela Merkel has cleared the way for Bundesbank President Axel Weber to become the next European Central Bank president in late 2011, German magazine WirtschaftsWoche reported on Saturday.
The business weekly cited central bank sources saying Merkel had organised a broad majority in the 16-nation euro zone for a southern European -- Portugal's Vitor Constancio -- to succeed Greece's Lucas Papademos as ECB vice president this year.
Shadow-boxing over the presidency in 2011 is the background to the current race to pick a Papademos successor in May.
There are no declared candidates to succeed ECB president Jean-Claude Trichet in 2011 but the two leading contenders are widely seen as Weber and Italy's Mario Draghi, a member of the ECB's Governing Council.
The magazine reported that the appointment of a southern European, Constacio, to the number two ECB job this year would mean Italy's Draghi, a southern European, would have no chance in 2011 against Weber, a northern European.
Some diplomats think the two top jobs may be shared between northern and southern euro zone countries.
"Merkel has received support for her personnel plans from France," WirtschaftsWoche said. "She's made a deal with French President Nicolas Sarkozy."
WirtschaftsWoche added: "For weeks there's been speculation that Draghi, a southerner, would have no chance if the number two job goes to Constancio."
Euro zone finance ministers are expected to recommend either Yves Mersch of Luxembourg or Constancio for the number two job at the ECB at their next meeting on Feb. 15.
So if Mersch were to get the number two job, Draghi would be seen as front-runner for the presidency, while if Constancio were chosen, it could bolster Weber's chances.
Weber won a significant endorsement on Friday, gaining the support of the Bavarian sister party of Merkel's conservatives -- the Christian Social Union (CSU). The Christian Democrats share power with the CSU and Free Democrats (FDP).
German government spokesman Ulrich Wilhelm said on Friday it was too early to discuss who should succeed Trichet.
(Reporting by Erik Kirschbaum; Editing by Bill Tarrant)