ECB President Lagarde resigns as early as February instead of the end of October 2027

Christine Lagarde, president of the European Central Bank, will step down on February 7, 2026, before her term ends in October 2027. Since November 2019, she has been the first woman in this role, aiming to implement her own style distinct from her predecessor, Mario Draghi. Her early hints about not completing her term suggest a strategic move to allow French President Macron and German Chancellor Merz to appoint a new ECB president. Klaas Knot, former president of De Nederlandsche Bank, is mentioned as a potential successor, alongside Pablo Hernández de Cos, former president of the Spanish central bank.