The President of the European Central Bank, Christine Lagarde, stated that she does not plan to leave her position prematurely. In an interview with "The Wall Street Journal," she emphasized that her goal is to complete her eight-year term, which expires in 2027. This declaration is a direct response to media reports suggesting that the Frenchwoman was considering resigning to allow for the appointment of a successor ahead of the upcoming presidential elections in France.

Denial of Resignation Plans

The head of the ECB, Christine Lagarde, declared her intention to serve until the end of her term in October 2027.

Response to Media Rumors

This statement is a response to a "Financial Times" report about the possibility of her resignation for political reasons.

Central Bank Independence

Colleagues, including Luis de Guindos, emphasize Lagarde's full focus on her mandate and inflation targets.

The President of the European Central Bank (ECB), Christine Lagarde, has unequivocally denied rumors about her alleged resignation. In a conversation with "The Wall Street Journal", she indicated that her mission of price stability and protecting the common currency requires time, and fulfilling her mandate is her priority. Speculation about her resignation intensified after a "Financial Times" publication suggested that Lagarde could step down as early as 2026. This was allegedly to open the way for Emmanuel Macron to appoint a favorable candidate before an expected rise in the influence of the far-right in France. The ECB was established in 1998 under the Maastricht Treaty, and its main task is to maintain price stability, defined as a medium-term inflation target of 2%.The institution's Vice President, Luis de Guindos, and board member Piero Cipollone, confirmed in public statements that they had received no signals about a planned change in leadership. They emphasized that Lagarde is fully focused on current economic challenges. Analysts point out that a premature change at the top of the Eurosystem could be perceived by markets as yielding to political pressure, which would damage the bank's credibility. Currently, financial markets are closely monitoring not only the fate of the president but also upcoming rotations in the positions of chief economist and board members, which could influence the future direction of interest rates. „My assumption is that completing my mission will take until the end of my term.” — Christine LagardeOctober 2027 — is the end date of Lagarde's eight-year mandate[{"dateISO": "2019-11-01", "date": "November 1, 2019", "event": "Start of Christine Lagarde's term"}, {"dateISO": "2027-04-01", "date": "April 2027", "event": "Presidential elections in France"}, {"dateISO": "2027-10-31", "date": "October 31, 2027", "event": "Official end of ECB President's mandate"}]Experts note that the confusion surrounding the succession is rooted in the rising polls of the National Rally in France. Concerns about the politicization of the central bank are particularly strong in Germany, where there is a traditional emphasis on ironclad independence from national governments. Meanwhile, Lagarde, by declaring her desire to remain in Frankfurt, is trying to calm sentiments and neutralize the narrative about "safety valves" being built by current European elites against populism.

Mentioned People

  • Christine Lagarde — President of the European Central Bank, the first woman to hold this position.
  • Luis de Guindos — Vice President of the ECB, former Minister of Economy of Spain.
  • Emmanuel Macron — President of France, whose electoral calendar was linked to speculation about the ECB.