The workers' representatives at the European Central Bank demanded clarifications on the future of President Christine Lagarde through a letter sent on Friday to her and the remaining members of the Executive Board. The workers warn that prolonged uncertainty over the institution's leadership could affect confidence in the ECB's communications, raise concerns among workers and stakeholders, and hinder the orderly planning of succession and strategic priorities.
Speculation about a possible early departure of Lagarde, seen as a possible future president of the World Economic Forum in Davos, intensified after the announcement of her autobiography's publication in early 2027. When questioned on Thursday about the matter, Lagarde stated there was "nothing to announce" regarding her future. The ECB stressed, in response to AFP, that it has "long-established governance mechanisms" and "extensive experience" to function effectively during transition periods.
The ECB president currently faces the repercussions of geopolitical tensions in the Middle East, which have been pushing energy prices upward and contributing to eurozone inflation rising to its highest level in three years. This development led the ECB to tighten its monetary policy guidance on Thursday.
Beyond the succession issue, the letter refers to persistent unrest within the institution and points to a continuous deterioration of trust between workers and management. Among the criticisms are an alleged sense of favoritism in recruitment and promotion processes and self-censorship by many workers for fear of negative consequences. The representatives call on Lagarde to take responsibility so that the ECB is in a better state at the end of her term than when she took office.
