No regrets says Draghi as he leaves the helm of ECB
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European Central Bank President Mario Draghi said Thursday he had no regrets after completing his eight-year term at the head of the institution.
“How do I feel? I feel like someone who has tried to respect the mandate in the best way possible,” he said ahead of handing over to former IMF chief Christine Lagarde on November 1.
“I have no regrets”, he said.
“I never threw in the sponge regarding the respecting the mandate”.
He said he did not have any advice to give to Lagarde.
Asked about his future, he told reporters “ask my wife”.
Asked if he might have a future in politics, Draghi said “I really don’t know”.
During his term Draghi famously did “whatever it takes” to preserve the euro and launched a massive bond-buying programme called quantitative easing to bolster the eurozone.
High-debt countries like Italy should be prudent in their budget policies, Draghi said at his last press call.
He stressed that “no one in the Italian government had doubts about the euro any more”.
He also said that countries that can, like Germany, should use their budgets to boost growth.
Draghi also said the main risk facing the global economy was a downturn.
He added that the ECB was ready to modify its instruments.
Draghi said the ECB’s September package was justified by the latest data.
