Bundesbank President Joachim Nagel was awarded the Great Franco-German Media Prize in Paris. He shares this prize with François Villeroy de Galhau, former governor of the Banque de France. It was awarded to honour their great commitment to the service of European integration. For the first time in its history, two central bankers received the prize jointly. 

Speaking about the collaboration with Mr Villeroy de Galhau, Mr Nagel said: “Sometimes François and I didn’t need many words to realise that we were thinking in the same direction, even if it meant making tough decisions.”

The members of the Franco-German Journalists’ Prize jury are thereby honouring two aspects of the long-standing and close Franco-German cooperation between central bankers. First, the close and constructive work by Mr Nagel and Mr Villeroy de Galhau in the Governing Council of the European Central Bank, especially during the period of high inflation in Europe. Second, their joint public advocacy of European responses to economic and geopolitical challenges. 

Nagel pays tribute to European project of peace

Asked about the electoral gains being made by populist parties, Mr Nagel stressed that he was concerned about developments: “In the end, it’s also about our basic democratic understanding and the common values that we share.” He added that these developments ran counter to what, at the core, defines Europe as a project of peace

Award for outstanding commitment 

Every year, the members of the Franco-German Journalists' Prize (DFJP) jury honour individuals or organisations for their outstanding commitment to Franco-German relations and European integration. The Great Franco-German Media Prize is an extraordinary honorary prize awarded by the annual meeting at the award ceremony.

The Franco-German Journalism Prize was created at the initiative of the former director of Saarland Radio, Hubert Rohde, to mark the 20th anniversary of the Élysée Treaty. Previous laureates include former heads of state Helmut Schmidt and Valéry Giscard d’Estaing, philosopher Jürgen Habermas, and astronauts Matthias Maurer and Thomas Pesquet.