The Charlemagne Prize, awarded annually in Aachen, has been given to Italian economist and former politician Mario Draghi. The prize recognizes outstanding contributions to European unity.

Draghi is best known as the head of the European Central Bank (ECB) from 2011 to 2019, where he played a pivotal role in stabilizing the eurozone during the debt crisis. His famous "whatever it takes" pledge is credited with saving the euro.

Draghi began his career as an economics professor, later working at the World Bank and Goldman Sachs. He served as governor of the Bank of Italy from 2006 to 2011. In 2021-2022, he was Prime Minister of Italy, leading the country through the pandemic and political crisis.

In 2024, Draghi published a report on the EU economy with 383 recommendations to boost competitiveness against the US and China. The report calls for investments in AI, semiconductors, capital market integration, and lower energy prices.

The prize committee praised Draghi for his "exceptional achievements, pivotal role in stabilizing the European Economic and Monetary Union, and efforts to promote European competitiveness."

The Charlemagne Prize has been awarded since 1950. Previous winners include Winston Churchill, Helmut Kohl, Bill Clinton, Angela Merkel, and popes. In 2023, it was awarded to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and the Ukrainian people.

Source: www.dw.com