Christine Lagarde in Florence: “This metropolis makes you optimistic”

Before chairing this week’s assembly of the European Central Bank Governing Council, ECB president Christine Lagarde took a relaxed and symbolic stroll by means of one among Florence’s most genuine locations, the Sant’Ambrogio market. Among stalls of contemporary greens, cheeses and eggs, Lagarde greeted distributors, posed for selfies, and took time to look at meals costs intently.

“I checked meals costs very rigorously,” she mentioned, “and sure, they’ve elevated, however a lot lower than two years in the past. They are nonetheless increased than the common inflation price we have now, which is round 2%. We want to ensure they proceed to go down, as a result of meals is necessary.”

Lagarde’s go to, full of smiles and pleasant gestures, provided a lighter prelude to the upcoming discussions of the ECB board. “We must talk about very critical issues,” she admitted, “however being right here in Florence places you in a really, very optimistic mind-set. You see Europe all over the place, however you additionally see the great thing about Italy and the Renaissance. When you’re in Florence, it’s a must to be optimistic.”

The ECB president additionally shared a private connection to town: “My son selected Florence to suggest to his fiancée,” she revealed with a smile. Before leaving, she loved a cappuccino and purchased some pomegranates, a symbolic fruit of prosperity and abundance.

The Governing Council assembly, held in Florence this week, will deal with the financial outlook of the euro space and the following steps in financial coverage. But Lagarde’s cease at Sant’Ambrogio despatched a message past finance, a gesture towards on a regular basis life and the individuals most affected by value dynamics. “We should always remember that behind each quantity, there are households and employees,” she mentioned. “Economic stability begins with their well-being.”

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