Frankfurt (Germany), 20 February (LaPresse) – European Central Bank (ECB) President Christine Lagarde has stated that she intends to complete her term of office following rumours of a possible early departure. ‘Looking back on all these years, I think we have achieved a lot, that I have achieved a lot,’ she said in an interview with the Wall Street Journal. ‘We need to consolidate these results and make sure they are really solid and reliable. My basic assumption is therefore that this will last until the end of my term,’ she explained. Earlier, the Financial Times had reported that Lagarde was considering stepping down early from the ECB to allow French President Emmanuel Macron to influence the choice of her successor. However, according to internal sources, the president has privately reassured her colleagues that she is fully focused on her work and that, if she decides to resign, she will announce it herself and not through the press. Lagarde reiterated that her mission is to ensure price and financial stability, as well as to ‘protect the euro and ensure that it is solid, strong and ready for the future of Europe.’ Her term expires at the end of October 2027, while presidential elections in France are scheduled for April of the same year. After leaving the ECB, she added, the World Economic Forum represents “one of many possible options”.