Christine Lagarde, the President of the European Central Bank (ECB) will depart the institution this coming February. Lagarde made the announcement on X this morning.
“I have just informed my colleagues that I will step down as ECB President on 7 February 2027. It has been a source of great pride to serve this institution. I thank all of those who have supported me on this journey over the past seven years.”
Her term was scheduled to end in October 2027.
Lagarde shared a video announcing her decision, which showed signs of recent “small’ surgery on her face, which could indicate skin issues like melanoma.
Lagarde joined the ECB in November 2019, succeeding Mario Draghi and beginning an 8-year non-renewable term. Prior to joining the bank, she was Managing Director of the IMF from 2011 to 2019.
Lagarde’s tenure at the bank oversaw pandemic programs to stabilize markets and major strategy reviews, including the pursuit of climate policy. She has also been vocally supportive of the pursuit of a central bank digital currency (CBDC) or digital euro, which remains on the bank’s roadmap.
Chatter indicates that Lagarde may seek another institutional or NGO role, with some predicting stepping in to lead the World Economic Forum.
