Christine Lagarde's early departure as European Central Bank president marks the end of a seven-year tenure shaped by the Covid-19 pandemic, energy shocks and record inflation. Despite initial doubts over her lack of formal economics training, Lagarde helped steer the ECB through major crises. However, her decision to leave before her term ends has sparked criticism over political interference and raised questions about the institution's independence." name="description">window.pageLoadStarted = (new Date()).getTime().