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Friday, October 30, 2026

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Central banks · Friday, October 30, 2026

Lagarde says she will leave the ECB presidency in February

The File desk · Oct. 30, 2026, 6:37 a.m. ET

Confirmed1 primary sources

Status

Confirmed. The European Central Bank's press release of October 29, 2026, says Christine Lagarde will step down as president on February 7, 2027. The release does not say the departure is early, and it does not name a successor.
  • Confirmed
    Lagarde informed the Governing Council and European Council President António Costa.
  • Confirmed
    The successor is to be appointed by the European Council under .
Christine Lagarde told the European Central Bank on Wednesday that she will step down as president on February 7, 2027. She also told António Costa, who leads the European Council. The bank's release does not name her successor.1
The European Council will appoint the next president under , the release says. The Governing Council thanked Lagarde and gave her a long standing ovation.1
Why it matters (Estimate). Estimate. The person who leads the euro area's central bank has named her last day: February 7, 2027. The European Council still has to appoint a successor under the process the bank cites. Until that vote, the release does not say who will speak for the bank after that date. The page does not say anyone's loan rate changed on Wednesday.
The release is four short paragraphs. It does not say she is leaving before the end of a term, and it does not give a date for the appointment. It does not say the bank changed interest rates because of the announcement.1
How we know

Notes

  1. 1.European Central Bank, “ECB President Lagarde to step down on 7 February 2027,” press release, 29 October 2026. https://www.ecb.europa.eu/press/pr/date/2026/html/ecb.pr261029~abbb6dc64b.en.html “European Central Bank President Christine Lagarde today informed the Governing Council and the President of the European Council António Costa that she will step down from her position on 7 February 2027.” “President Lagarde’s successor will be appointed by the European Council following the nomination process outlined in .” “The Governing Council thanked President Lagarde warmly and gave her a long standing ovation.” Media contacts named on the release: Eszter Miltényi-Torstensson and Clara Martín Marqués.

What is still unknown or disputed

  • Whether February 7, 2027, is before the end of her term. The press release does not say that. This desk did not use a press-conference transcript as a source.
  • Who the European Council will appoint, and when.
  • Any change in the bank's interest rates tied to the announcement. The resignation release does not state one.

Primary sources

Every claim in this story is drawn from the documents below. If a fetch failed, that is recorded on the card.

  1. Source 1

    ECB President Lagarde to step down on 7 February 2027

    European Central Bank · October 29, 2026

    Christine Lagarde informed the Governing Council and António Costa that she will step down on 7 February 2027. The European Council appoints the successor under Article 283.

    https://www.ecb.europa.eu/press/pr/date/2026/html/ecb.pr261029~abbb6dc64b.en.html