Banque de France governor François Villeroy de Galhau gave an exclusive interview to Le Figaro on May 25, 2026. He justifies his resignation as a personal decision and announces he will head the Fondation Apprentis d’Auteuil starting June 2.
François Villeroy de Galhau announced in February that he would resign from the Banque de France before the end of his term. He confirmed in the interview that the decision had no political link and was prompted by Jean-Marc Sauvé’s call for him to succeed as president of the Fondation Apprentis d’Auteuil.
The governor, in office since 2015, will end his duties on May 28, 2026. He will take over from Jean-Marc Sauvé on June 2 to lead the foundation serving disadvantaged youth.
In the interview, Villeroy de Galhau warns about French public finances. He states in particular: “We are transferring the burden of debt and pensions to our children.”
He reviews eleven years marked by several crises and notes that this length of time represents a sufficient period at the head of the institution.