Netherlands nominate Klaas Knot to succeed ECB president Lagarde
The Netherlands has nominated former Dutch central bank chief Klaas Knot as a candidate to succeed Christine Lagarde as president...
Dutch central bank chief Klaas Knot has been nominated by the Netherlands as a candidate to succeed outgoing European Central Bank president Christine Lagarde. At 59, Knot served as president of the Dutch National Bank (DNB) from 2011 to 2025. Following his retirement, he was granted one of the nation's top civilian honors, Grand Officer in the order of Oranje-Nassau.
If elected, Knot would become the second Dutch president of the ECB, after Wim Duisenberg, who held the position from 1998 to 2003. The other main contender appears to be former Spanish central bank president Pablo Hernández de Cos. European Union member states have until Friday to present their candidates for the role, which Lagarde will leave nine months before her term concludes.
Lagarde has expressed discomfort with the expectation for European central bankers to maintain neutrality in an increasingly divided world, but has not provided further details on her reasons for stepping down. The World Economic Forum, a think tank based in Davos, is reportedly considering her for its next chair position. Dutch News relies on the support of its readers to continue providing free, important Dutch news.
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