# Spain and Netherlands race for ECB top job

> Two candidates emerge to replace Christine Lagarde as European Central Bank president, as Europe's biggest economies jostle for influence over the continent's most powerful institution.
- Title: Spain and Netherlands race for ECB top job · POLITICO
- Summary: Two candidates emerge to replace Christine Lagarde as European Central Bank president, as Europe's biggest economies jostle for influence over the…
- Keywords: european central bank, christine lagarde, pablo hernández de cos, klaas knot, spain, netherlands, ecb presidency, isabel schnabel, philip lane, POLITICO
- Source: POLITICO — https://politico.eu/article/dutch-and-spanish-battle-over-ecb-presidency
- Published: 2026-11-06T16:24:31+00:00
- Read time: 1 min
- Topics: european central bank, christine lagarde, pablo hernández de cos, klaas knot, spain, netherlands, ecb presidency, isabel schnabel, philip lane, politics, world
## Spain and Netherlands name ECB candidates
Pablo Hernández de Cos, former governor of Spain's central bank, and Klaas Knot, former president of the Dutch central bank, submitted candidacies on Friday to succeed Christine Lagarde as European Central Bank president.
## Lagarde steps down February seventh
Christine Lagarde steps down as ECB president on February seventh. The ECB sets interest rates to keep prices stable at two percent over the medium term and oversees a six person executive board.
## Germany and France also jockey for seats
Germany wants to keep the seat Isabel Schnabel vacates on January third when she joins the International Monetary Fund. France targets the chief economist role after Philip Lane's eight year term ends May thirty first.
## Key takeaway

Spain and the Netherlands submitted candidates to lead the European Central Bank after Christine Lagarde steps down on February seventh, triggering a broader power struggle among Europe's largest economies.