Europe’s central bank chief Christine Lagarde to step down nine months early

Departure of Lagarde, seen as candidate to take over World Economic Forum, comes as eurozone struggles with weak growth and inflation

Christine Lagarde, the eurozone’s top central banker, is stepping down nine months early, ending months of speculation about her future.

The European Central Bank (ECB) announced on Thursday morning that Lagarde would step down as its president on 7 February 2027; her term was scheduled to run until the end of October next year.

The ECB’s governing council thanked Lagarde warmly and gave her a long standing ovation, as it met to set interest rates across the eurozone.

Lagarde has been seen as a candidate to take over the running of the World Economic Forum, which holds its annual meeting in Davos each January. The WEF founder, Klaus Schwab, stepped down last year after being accused of financial and ethical misconduct – which he denies.

Lagarde’s early departure fires the starting gun on the race to replace her as ECB chief, at a time when the eurozone is strugging with weak growth and above-target inflation. Potential candidates include the former Dutch central bank president Klaas Knot, the Spanish banker Pablo Hernández de Cos, the German central bank president, Joachim Nagel, and Nadia Calviño, the president of the European Investment Bank.

The European Council appoints the head of the ECB, which sets monetary policy across the eurozone.

“The European Union is trying to guard itself at least somewhat against the risk that rightwing Marine Le Pen may win the French presidential election in April/May 2027,” said Holger Schmieding, the chief economist at Berenberg bank.

“Lagarde’s successor will still be appointed while the staunchly pro-European centrist Emmanuel Macron still resides in the Elysee Palace. He is a long-term political adversary of Le Pen.”

Lagarde joined the ECB in late 2019, shortly before the start of the Covid pandemic. During her tenure the ECB has also faced the economic consequences of the Russia-Ukraine war and the Middle East conflict and Donald Trump’s trade war.

The ECB is widely expected to keep interest rates on hold on Thursday afternoon.