{
  "id": 17044086,
  "title": "European Central Bank: Lagarde to leave early in February - Poker game for ECB top spot",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/29/europaische-zentralbank-lagarde-geht-vorzeitig-im-februar-poker-um",
  "topic": "business",
  "section": "Business",
  "published": "2026-10-29T10:12:19.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Handelsblatt",
    "slug": "handelsblatt",
    "url": "https://www.handelsblatt.com/politik/deutschland/europaeische-zentralbank-lagarde-geht-vorzeitig-im-februar-poker-um-ezb-spitze/100265881.html"
  },
  "original_language": "de",
  "account": "Christine Lagarde will step down as President of the European Central Bank on February 7, 2027, earlier than her scheduled end of term in October 2027. She has informed the ECB Council and European Council President António Costa of her decision. The move is expected to allow French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz to agree on a successor before the French presidential election. Lagarde's decision was rumored for some time, with reports in February 2026 suggesting she would leave before the French election due to concerns about the potential rise of euro-skeptic parties.",
  "summary": "Christine Lagarde is giving politics time to regulate her succession at the top of the ECB - because the fear of right-wing populists is great. Can Germany secure the top job for the first time?",
  "key_points": [
    "Lagarde to step down early on February 7, 2027",
    "21 Eurozone leaders to decide on successor",
    "German Bundesbank President Joachim Nagel in contention"
  ],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 5,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "Der Standard Wirtschaft",
        "title": "ECB Chief Christine Lagarde to step down in February",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/29/ezb-chefin-christine-lagarde-tritt-im-februar-zuruck",
        "published": "2026-10-29T10:07:25.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "NZZ Wirtschaft",
        "title": "ECB President Christine Lagarde to step down early in February",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/29/ezb-prasidentin-christine-lagarde-tritt-vorzeitig-im-februar-zuruck",
        "published": "2026-10-29T10:14:49.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Politico EU",
        "title": "Christine Lagarde to step down as ECB president in February",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/29/christine-lagarde-quittera-ses-fonctions-de-presidente-de-la-bce-en",
        "published": "2026-10-29T10:19:16.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Bangkok Post Business",
        "title": "ECB chief Christine Lagarde to step down in February",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/29/ecb-chief-christine-lagarde-to-step-down-in-february",
        "published": "2026-10-29T11:45:00.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}