Christine Lagarde on IMF role
From Mindspeak: Christine Lagarde, Managing Director, IMF - Speech · · Rich Management
“The IMF is a partner. The IMF is a partner in the countries that want the partnership, that need the partnership, whether it's through financing, whether it's through technical assistance, whether it's through capacity building, whether it's through surveillance and policy recommendation. That's the business of the IMF, and it's not our business. It's the business of 188 members that actually own the IMF, finance the IMF, and benefit from the IMF.”
On , Christine Lagarde, President at European Central Bank, spoke about IMF role during Mindspeak: Christine Lagarde, Managing Director, IMF - Speech on Rich Management.
About Christine Lagarde
Christine Lagarde, President of the European Central Bank, has recently focused on the economic impact of the war in Iran and the resulting energy price shock. In April and May 2026, she stated that the euro area economy had moved away from the ECB’s baseline forecast and was now between its baseline and adverse scenarios, with upside risks to inflation and downside risks to growth having intensified. Following the Governing Council meeting on 30 April 2026, Lagarde announced that the ECB had decided to keep interest rates unchanged, and she emphasized that the bank would follow a data-dependent, meeting-by-meeting approach. She described the current situation as one of “extreme volatility” and “lack of certainty,” and did not rule out the possibility of inflation exceeding 3% by the end of the year or further interest rate hikes. Lagarde also said that fiscal responses to the energy price shock should be “temporary, targeted, and tailored.” In other appearances, Lagarde discussed the economic case for women’s full participation in the workforce, stating that closing gender gaps could boost GDP and that financial literacy for women is important for their independence. Speaking at a conference in Berlin, she argued that “Europe-bashing is vastly excessive” and that Europe has strengths including its 450 million consumers, educational system, and democratic principles. She also said that the ECB’s independence must be earned through accountability, credibility, and transparency. Regarding her own mandate, Lagarde stated that “when there is big clouds on the horizon, the captain does not leave the ship,” indicating her intention to remain in her role.