About: Mario Draghi
Draghi attempts to heal divided ECB in farewell speech
Departing ECB president Mario Draghi tried to restore unity among eurozone central bankers in his farewell speech on Monday (28 October) but he continued to defend his recent controversial monetary decisions.
Ciao, Mario: ECB’s Draghi hands baton to Lagarde
ECB chief Mario Draghi bows out Monday (28 October), passing the baton to former IMF head Christine Lagarde whose first task will be to heal rifts among policymakers.
Draghi’s farewell demand: the eurozone budget
Outgoing European Central Bank President Mario Draghi stressed in his farewell press conference on Thursday (24 October) that a truly eurozone budget “with an adequate size" would be the number one issue to fix in the eurozone.
EU grandees send Draghi to ‘euro pantheon’
European Central Bank President Mario Draghi chairs his last governing council on 24 October, before Christine Lagarde takes over on 1 November. EURACTIV contacted eight politicians, decision-makers and analysts from different countries to review Draghi's eight-year mandate at the ECB.
French business expansion slows amid sluggish eurozone
France's private sector is growing at a slower rate and has reached the lowest level in the past four months, according to forecasts published by IHS Markit on Monday (23 September). For the eurozone, business expansion fell to the lowest level since June 2013. EURACTIV's partner La Tribune reports.
Draghi calls for euro budget in farewell to MEPs
ECB President Mario Draghi urged EU co-legislators on Monday (23 September) to set up a fiscal capacity to counter eurozone’s economic shocks, as he warned of the worsening economic outlook in his farewell debate with MEPs.
Draghi urges Germany, Netherlands to invest against risk of recession
The European Central Bank said on Thursday (12 September) it will reactivate its bond-buying programme, stepping up the monetary stimulus to maintain economic growth, but its president Mario Draghi told Germany and the Netherlands the time has come to spend more in order to avoid the risk of a downturn.
Recession fears grow as euro area inflation hits three-year low
Inflation in the euro area fell to 1% in July, its lowest level since 2016, according to Eurostat data released on Monday (19 August), adding pressure on the European Central Bank to consider relaunching its economic stimulus program in September.
Unconventional measures are seeing a comeback at the ECB
The ECB's key interest rate remains at zero and is expected to be at that rate at least until summer 2020. However, ECB chief Mario Draghi is suggesting that a decisive fiscal policy is far more important for the eurozone, especially for Germany and Italy. EURACTIV Germany reports.
Commission’s forecast paves the way for new ECB stimulus
The European Commission kept its growth forecast unchanged at 1.2% on Wednesday (10 July) but revised downwards inflation to 1.3% for this year and the next, strengthening the case for further monetary stimulus as global economic risks worsen.
Christine Lagarde, a non-conventional pick for the ECB presidency
A lawyer by training, Christine Lagarde has been nominated to succeed Mario Draghi as president of the European Central Banck (ECB). The IMF director has an atypical profile, due to her lack of banking experience and question marks over her past. EURACTIV France reports.
How to pick the next saviour of the euro
EU leaders will try to pick the new European Central Bank president on Thursday evening (20 June), in times when further monetary flexibility is becoming more likely, but EU officials and diplomats have warned against politicising the election of Mario Draghi's successor.
Draghi brushes off Trump accusation of currency manipulation
European Central Bank chief Mario Draghi said Tuesday (18 June) that the institution “doesn’t target the exchange rate”, shrugging off an allegation of currency manipulation from US President Donald Trump. “We have our remit. We have our mandate. Our mandate...
ECB ponders further monetary stimulus to counter trade, Brexit risks
The European Central Bank decided on Thursday (6 June) to keep the low interest rates unchanged at least until mid-2020, and confirmed that it is considering further monetary stimulus, including further rate cuts and restarting the asset purchasing programme, to counter the trade tensions and Brexit uncertainty.
Brexit uncertainty weighs on eurozone growth, Draghi warns
ECB President Mario Draghi warned on Wednesday (10 April) that the uncertainty around Brexit was weighing on the eurozone’s growth but said he was still “hopeful” that major disruptions could be averted.
Draghi steps into political debate, calls for more togetherness in EU
As European partners remain disunited on the way forward to strengthen the eurozone, ECB President Mario Draghi made a wholehearted defence on Monday (28 January) of the need to act together to complete the economic and monetary union and increase the influence of the common currency abroad.
ECB reshuffle: The EU can do better than gentlemen’s agreements behind closed doors
Appointments to the European Central Bank's Executive Board are no less than a strategic and political decision over the future of the Eurozone. But experience has shown this process is not transparent, open, and democratic enough to protect the ECB from its legitimacy gap, argue Stanislas Jourdan and Sebastian Diessner.
Leaders call to complete eurozone on currency’s 20th anniversary
As the euro turns 20, leaders of the EU's main institutions called on member states to complete the reform of the Economic and Monetary Union, admitting mistakes were made in managing the eurozone debt crisis.
ECB chief Draghi downgrades economic forecast as risks persist
European Central Bank President Mario Draghi presented on Thursday (13 December) the bank's downgraded economic forecast for the eurozone for this year and next, as uncertainties and risks remain prominent in the region.
End of an era as ECB shelves quantitative easing program
A chapter of eurozone history will come to a close Thursday (13 December), with the European Central Bank widely expected to withdraw a key element of support for the economy while reassuring observers fearful of the growing risks.
EU top court rules in favor of Draghi’s bond-buying programme
The European Central Bank (ECB) won a landmark case on Tuesday (11 December) as the European Court of Justice confirmed that the national bond-buying policy was in accordance with EU law, in response to concerns raised in Germany.
ECB urges completion of monetary union in ‘unstable’ world
ECB chief Mario Draghi called for the completion of the eurozone framework and to reduce divergencies between West and East members in order to protect the euro in a more "unstable" world on Monday (26 November).
Draghi ‘confident’ about a deal on Italian budget
European Central Bank President Mario Draghi expressed his confidence on Thursday (25 October) about the likelihood of an agreement between the European Commission and the Italian government over Rome's spending plan for next year.