The president of the European Central Bank (ECB), Christine Lagarde, has explained that her effective resignation on February 7, 2027 responds to the need to abandon the principle of neutrality that governs the institution in everything that exceeds its mandate, in order to recover full freedom of expression and be able to speak out on matters unrelated to monetary policy.
"I do not think I can remain neutral. I do not think I can feel comfortable in that neutrality at this moment," said the Frenchwoman, who this Thursday communicated her intention to leave the post on next February 7, thus anticipating her departure with respect to the date initially scheduled for October 31, 2027.
Lagarde's early departure, at 70 years old, had been virtually taken for granted for months, after the head of the eurozone central bank herself admitted her intention to leave the presidency "a few months" earlier than stipulated and to fully recover her voice to speak out on issues such as the upcoming elections in France, scheduled for the spring.
Although Lagarde has not revealed what she will do after leaving the ECB presidency in February, it is speculated that she could assume the presidency of the World Economic Forum, whose board of trustees includes her alongside 26 other prominent figures from politics, the business world, and academia on an international scale.
Along these lines, the former French minister has explained that she has already conveyed to her colleagues, the staff, and the governors of the ECB her desire "to have freedom of expression and freedom to address matters that are not monetary policy" without the limitations arising from the neutrality required by the post.
"We have the obligation to be neutral. That is the price we pay for being independent," emphasized the one known as the 'guardian of the euro', for whom, in the current situation and in relation to numerous issues that affect the world and not only Europe, her voice and her actions "can be useful".
"I am interested in the truth and I see that the truth is very often damaged and contradicted by distortions," she stated, adding that "there are things I can say, although whether people listen to me or not is another matter, but I feel that I must say them and I cannot do it in my current position," she insisted.
Lagarde has recalled that she will remain at the head of the ECB for two more monetary policy meetings, that of December 17 and that of February 4, 2027, and has assured that "until February 7, I will be in charge, focused and working without reservations or excuses".
In this regard, she has defended the strength of the ECB governance model to manage periods of transition, emphasizing that operational continuity has always been the entity's guiding principle and that this "has never failed".
"I have full confidence that it will continue applying the principles of continuity, focused on the mission and with decisive action to achieve our 2% target in the medium term", she added.
Regarding who will succeed her in the Presidency of the ECB, Lagarde has avoided commenting and has limited herself to confirming that the process to select her replacement has already been set in motion.
"There are many excellent candidates, much better than me, in fact, so do not worry about the continuity of operations", she concluded.