European Central Bank President Lagarde to step down early

Christine Lagarde will leave the post in February, nine months before the end of her eight-year term.Published On 29 Oct 202629 Oct 2026European Central Bank (ECB) President Christine Lagarde will step down months before her term ends, kicking off a race to succeed her against a turbulent backdrop in the eurozone.Lagarde announced on Thursday that she will leave the post on February 7, about nine months before the scheduled end of her eight-year term. She said in a filmed statement posted on X that she was leaving “with a sense of good work done and an ECB that is fit for the future”.Recommended Stories list of 3 itemslist 1 of 3Europe’s centrists are finally paying the price of their extremismlist 2 of 3‘Exorbitant privilege’: Can the US dollar maintain its global dominance?list 3 of 3Bulgaria adopts euro amid celebration and anxiety over inflationend of listThe move gives European Union leaders time to choose her successor before April’s French presidential election, which polls have suggested far-right candidate Marine Le Pen is favoured to win.The timing could allow current European Council members, including French President Emmanuel Macron, to take part in appointing Lagarde’...