She invokes her sense of duty and the need to stay the course in times of economic and geopolitical storm.
Christine Lagarde declared: “I have a sense of duty and I consider that when there is a bit of a storm, the captain stays on board. So the captain of the European Central Bank boat, he is on board”, confirming that she remains at the head of the European Central Bank and reaffirming its mission of price stability. She explained that she had considered an early departure in February because “inflation was at its target of 2% in the euro zone”, that “the key rate” was at this level and that “the digital euro was well on its way to legislation”, which gave her “a certain comfort” for retirement “a little bit early” at age 70.
A turnaround linked to the new economic and geopolitical storm
She finally ruled out this option due to an economic and geopolitical “storm”, declaring: “It is my duty to accomplish the mission, price stability, and for the moment this is what guides my action”, and affirming that she wanted to “hand over the keys to a European Central Bank which will have guaranteed” this stability. The president of the ECB links this turnaround to the war in the Middle East that occurred since her reflections in February, believing that it revived inflation and forced the ECB to raise its rates last Thursday, after a period where they were stable since July 2025.
Asked about a possible departure before the French presidential election, mentioned in February by the Financial Times so that a successor could be named before the National Rally could come to power in 2027, she replied: “The captain of the European Central Bank boat, he is on board.” In February, an ECB spokesperson indicated that “the president is totally focused on her mission” and that she “has not taken any decision concerning the end of her mandate”, according to BFMTV. In the economic press, potential scenarios and profiles to succeed Christine Lagarde were discussed, illustrating the interest of markets and observers in the calendar and European monetary governance, according to BFMTV.
Christine Lagarde warns that she would “speak out” if she found that “France’s anchoring within the European Union” was threatened by misunderstandings or attempts at separatism, while affirming: “To say that I am a candidate for anything, certainly not”. She added, without naming a party, that “when we are part of a club as fundamental as Europe, we respect its rules, we do not arrive by saying ‘I’m overturning the table, I’m changing everything'”.
Personal and institutional benchmarks
Born January 1, 1956 in Paris, Christine Lagarde holds a master’s degree in commercial law and a DESS in commercial law and labor law (Paris X University), a master’s degree in economics and finance (Sciences Po Aix-en-Provence) and a master’s degree in American literature (Avignon art school). She is President of the European Central Bank, President of the European Systemic Risk Board, member of the Board of Directors of the Bank for International Settlements, member of the G7 and G20. Former Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund and Minister ofEconomy and Finance of France, she held the French presidency of the European Union in the second half of 2008 and the presidency of the G20 in 2011.
