World · Europe · 17 outlets (L 2 · C 6 · R 5 · 4 not rated)
ECB President Christine Lagarde to step down nine months early
The European Central Bank announced Thursday that its president, Christine Lagarde, will step down on February 7, 2027, nine months before the end of her eight-year term.[1, 12, 15] At a news conference in Frankfurt, Lagarde said "there is never a good time to leave" but that she wants "the freedom of speech" and "the freedom to engage on matters that are not monetary policy matters."[4] Her departure sets in motion a selection process among European leaders for a new central bank president; UPI reported two former Spanish and Dutch central bankers are tipped for the role.[2, 9]
The ECB also held interest rates at its meeting on the day of the announcement.[16] The Wall Street Journal and The Guardian noted the exit comes amid debt problems, resurgent inflation and weak eurozone growth.[1, 13]
Why it matters EU leaders now have a window to choose her successor while pro-EU French President Emmanuel Macron is still in office and ahead of France's presidential election.[7]
Covered by The New York Times, ABC News, The Wall Street Journal and 14 more
Read first Lagarde Says She Can't Stay Neutral in Current Situation
How balanced is this coverage?
Of the 13 rated outlets that covered it, 2 are left of center, 6 are center and 5 are right of center (3 of them in the Right group). 4 more are not rated.
- Left: none.
- Leans left: The New York Times (−0.70), The Guardian (−0.70).
- Center: Fortune (−0.25), The Economist (−0.23), ABC News (−0.19), Bloomberg (+0.08), UPI (+0.17), CNBC (+0.40).
- Leans right: The Wall Street Journal (+0.63), New York Post (+0.64).
- Right: The Washington Times (+1.27), IJR (+1.52), Breitbart (+2.03).
Not rated Al Jazeera, Financial Times, Semafor, Sky News. Not placed: they have no lean score.
Each dot is an outlet that covered it, placed by its audience-lean score (Eady et al. 2025), which measures who shares its links, not how accurate it is. The ticks under the line are all 113 rated outlets Tare reads.