00:02Christine Lagarde will step down as president of the European Central Bank on February the 7th,
00:072027. The bank announced on Thursday, about nine months before her eight-year term was due to end.
00:15The news was announced in a statement by the bank's governing council, which thanked her
00:20for her service. European Council President António Costa was quick to praise Lagarde,
00:26who took office as ECB President in November 2019, after eight years as Managing Director of the IMF.
00:34Her successor will be appointed by the European Council, which brings together EU leaders.
00:40The ECB gave no reason for her departure. However, with this early departure, Lagarde is paving the
00:47way for the French President Emmanuel Macron to play a part in appointing her successor ahead of
00:53next spring's presidential election in France. Paul's currently have far-right candidate Marine Le Pen
00:59as the frontrunner, with hard-left candidate Jean-Luc Mélenchon in second.