Published by Global Banking & Finance Review®
Posted on February 20, 2026
2 min readLast updated: April 3, 2026
Add as preferred source on GoogleLars Klingbeil called speculation about Christine Lagarde leaving the ECB early premature and said Berlin will coordinate its stance on a successor. Lagarde says she plans to finish her term ending October 2027.
FRANKFURT, Feb 20 (Reuters) - German Finance Minister Lars Klingbeil said on Friday that discussion of the term length of ECB President Christine Lagarde was "speculation", but that when it came time to find a successor, Germany would participate actively.
"It is also clear that when it comes to the succession, we in the government will address this issue very quickly, will have a common position, and will of course have a strong say as the federal government when it comes to Ms Lagarde's succession," he told journalists in Frankfurt.
Lagarde has attempted to calm speculation about her stepping down early, telling the Wall Street Journal she expects to complete her term.
Lagarde's status as leader of Europe's most important financial institution was plunged into doubt this week after the Financial Times reported she planned to leave her job ahead of next spring's French presidential election, giving outgoing leader Emmanuel Macron a say in picking her successor.
Succession "is not on the agenda at the moment; this is just speculation that is circulating," Klingbeil said.
(Reporting by Tom Sims, Editing by Friederike Heine)
Germany’s finance minister dismissed speculation about an early change at the top of the ECB and said Berlin will actively help shape any future succession process.
The ECB president is appointed by EU leaders. Christine Lagarde’s eight-year term is scheduled to end in October 2027, and she says she expects to complete it.
Media reports suggested Lagarde might leave before France’s April 2027 election to influence her successor. She has pushed back on this, and Germany calls the chatter speculation.
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