Pablo Hernández de Cos and Klaas Knot emerge as top contenders
Economists surveyed by the Financial Times point to two leading candidates to succeed Christine Lagarde as head of the European Central Bank (ECB): Spain’s Pablo Hernández de Cos and Dutch central banker Klaas Knot. The position will open in November 2027, when Lagarde’s eight-year mandate expires, EFE reports via Agerpres.
Both former central bank governors are seen as strong contenders amid an upcoming reshuffle of the ECB’s leadership. According to the Financial Times, several senior figures have already begun positioning themselves for the role, including Joachim Nagel and Isabel Schnabel.
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Among the 70 economists surveyed, 26% favored Hernández de Cos, while 24% backed Klaas Knot. Respondents came from the private sector, academia, and think tanks.
“In my view, Hernández de Cos has the strongest technical expertise in monetary policy and central banking,” said Christian Kopf, director at Union Investment, adding that appointing a “career technocrat” would send a strong signal of stability for Europe and the euro.
Francesco Papadia, an economist at Bruegel, described Klaas Knot as a policymaker with a “stability-oriented approach” combined with the flexibility needed to respond to changing economic conditions.
German candidates Isabel Schnabel and Joachim Nagel received support from 14% and 7% of respondents, respectively.
Photo: CECCAR Business Magazine
