© Werner Fehn
The International Charlemagne Prize of Aachen, which was awarded for the first time in 1950, is the oldest and best-known prize awarded to personalities or institutions that have rendered outstanding services to Europe and European unification. The idea of the Charlemagne Prize was born on December 19, 1949 from the citizens of Aachen.
Charlemagne Prize winner 2026: Mario Draghi
Teresa Suarez, © City of Aachen/picture alliance
"From 'Whatever it takes' to a European vision: International Charlemagne Prize honors Mario Draghi for his services to Europe
Today, Saturday, 17 January, Armin Laschet MdB, Chairman of the Charlemagne Prize Board of Directors, and Dr. Michael Ziemons, Lord Mayor of the City of Aachen, announced the Charlemagne Prize winner for 2026. In a decisive phase for Europe, the International Charlemagne Prize of Aachen 2026 honors the former President of the European Central Bank and former Italian Prime Minister, Professor Mario Draghi. The Charlemagne Prize Board of Directors is not only paying tribute to his historic life's work in stabilizing the monetary union, but above all sending an urgent political signal: Europe's future and sovereignty depend on its economic strength. Draghi is being honored for his groundbreaking impulses to strengthen European competitiveness, which he most recently formulated in his highly acclaimed "Draghi Report".
"Mario Draghi is one of those who are fighting for a Europe that is capable of acting. He is a visionary and a pragmatist. Draghi stands for a Europe that can act. The world is not waiting to see whether Europe has sorted itself out. The EU Commission and the heads of government must now implement the Draghi report on competitiveness. Immediately," said Laschet, explaining the choice of the Charlemagne Prize Board of Directors.
The award recognizes Draghi's outstanding life's work, his decisive contribution to stabilizing the European Economic and Monetary Union and his impetus for Europe's competitiveness.
Ziemons explains why Draghi is being honoured right now: "Draghi is calling for a visionary agenda that addresses key current social challenges in a crucial situation for Europe, such as digitalization, energy and innovation. This long-term perspective is valuable now, as it aims to better tackle pressing global challenges together and thus ensure good living conditions for future generations in the long term."
The Charlemagne Prize will be awarded on Ascension Day, May 14, 2026, in the Coronation Hall of Aachen City Hall.
Classification and justification
With the choice of Mario Draghi, the Charlemagne Prize Board of Directors is responding to the dramatic geopolitical situation. At a time when Europe is in danger of losing its strategic autonomy and becoming a pawn in the hands of global powers, economic strength is the indispensable basis for security, sovereignty and a self-determined future.
Professor Mario Draghi embodies like no other the will to secure this economic strength and make Europe capable of acting. The Executive Board honors him as a visionary and doer who has taken responsibility in historic crises. His leadership was evident in the rescue of the euro with his famous promise "Whatever it takes", in the stabilization of Italy during the pandemic and now in the formulation of a future agenda for the entire continent. He has proven that he is prepared to make courageous decisions for the common good, even in the face of opposition.
The award is therefore much more than a tribute to past achievements. It is an unmistakable wake-up call to the continent's political decision-makers. The award to Mario Draghi underlines the existential necessity of urgently renewing Europe's economic basis. The Board of Directors combines the award with a clear call to the European Commission and the heads of state and government to resolutely implement the future agenda outlined in the Draghi Report now in order to secure Europe's place in the world for future generations.
Quotes
Armin Laschet MdB, Chairman of the Charlemagne Prize Board of Directors:
- "Mario Draghi is one of those who are fighting for a Europe that is capable of acting. He is a visionary and a pragmatist. Draghi stands for a Europe that can act. The world is not waiting to see whether Europe has sorted itself out. Now the EU Commission and the heads of government must implement the Draghi report on competitiveness. Without delay."
- "Europe wants and needs to be capable of acting in this world, strong and sovereign. This requires defense capability. But it also needs economic strength and that is why the question of Europe's competitiveness is the decisive issue in 2026. Without economic competitiveness, Europe will lack the financial basis, the technological basis, the industrial basis to guarantee its security, maintain its prosperity and act politically independently in the long term."
- "He stabilized and reformed Italy in a crisis situation and his words 'whatever it takes' apply today more than ever and that is why this is our appeal to the heads of government of Europe, to the President of the European Commission and to all Commissioners: overcome the small 'whatever it takes' now applies to Europe's competitiveness and ability to act, implement what Mario Draghi calls for in his report."
Professor Mario Draghi, Charlemagne Prize Laureate 2026:
- "I feel very honored to receive the Charlemagne Prize. It has shaped the history of Europe over the last 75 years."
- "We will preserve Europe and we must move closer together than ever before. We must overcome our internal conflicts and weaknesses and become stronger economically, militarily and politically. Only in this way will we be able to preserve our values and pass them on to our future generations as our legacy. Thank you, thank you again."
Dr. Michael Ziemons, Lord Mayor of the City of Aachen:
- "Draghi is calling for a visionary agenda that addresses key current societal challenges (e.g. digitalization, energy, innovation) at a crucial time for Europe. This long-term perspective is valuable now, as it aims to better tackle pressing global challenges together and thus ensure good living conditions for future generations in the long term."
- "Draghi encourages more intensive cooperation between the EU member states in politics and business. It is not only military cooperation that is important in order to act more autonomously and sovereignly in a changing world. Europe as a whole needs more cohesion and economic competitiveness."
- "Draghi has shown that we need ideas and strategies on the one hand and the courage and drive to implement them on the other. With this year's prize, we are appealing to all decision-makers in Europe to do just that."
Brief profile
Professor Mario Draghi
(born 03.09.1947 in Rome), economist and statesman.
- Most important offices: President of the European Central Bank (2011-2019), Prime Minister of Italy (2021-2022).
- Career path: Doctorate at the renowned Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). Professorships in Italy. Later positions include: Executive Director of the World Bank, Director General at the Ital. Vice Chairman of Goldman Sachs International and Governor of the Banca d'Italia.
- Outstanding achievements: Significant stabilization of the eurozone during the financial crisis; groundbreaking report on the competitiveness of the EU (2024).
- Recognition: Winner of numerous high-ranking international awards.
About the International Charlemagne Prize of Aachen
The International Charlemagne Prize of Aachen is considered one of the most important European prizes. Since 1950, it has been awarded to individuals and institutions who have rendered outstanding services to the unification of Europe. Previous winners include Konrad Adenauer (1954), François Mitterand and Helmut Kohl (1988), Václav Havel (1991), US President Bill Clinton (2000), German Chancellor Angela Merkel (2008), Pope Francis (2016), French President Emmanuel Macron (2018) and UN Secretary-General António Guterres (2019). In 2022, the Belarusian civil rights activists Maria Kalesnikava, Svetlana Tikhanovskaya and Veronica Tsepkalo were awarded the prize, in 2023 the Ukrainian President Volodymyr Selensky and the Ukrainian people and in 2024 Chief Rabbi Pinchas Goldschmidt and the Jewish communities in Europe. Last year, the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, received the Charlemagne Prize.
In addition to a certificate, a medal is also awarded, which shows the oldest Aachen city seal from the 12th century with Charlemagne enthroned on the front and an inscription for the respective prizewinner on the back.
Since 2025, the International Charlemagne Prize of Aachen has awarded an annual project prize money of one million euros to charitable pro-European initiatives. The funding - made possible by the charitable foundation of the Aachen citizens and entrepreneurs Dr. Eckhard Schulz and Dr. rer. nat. Stefanie Schäfer-Schulz - is awarded on the recommendation of the respective Charlemagne Prize winners. The aim is to strengthen pro-European commitment, emphasize common values and make the European idea visible beyond Aachen by effectively supporting new and existing projects throughout Europe.
Press releases
Charlemagne Prize Laureate 2025: Dr. Ursula von der Leyen
European Union / Aurore Martignoni
Dr. Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission, received the Charlemagne Prize of Aachen on 29.05.2025.
Impressions of the Charlemagne Prize 2025
Charlemagne Prize Ceremony 2025: The day before
Information on the Charlemagne Prize 2025
City of Aachen / Andreas Herrmann
An extensive supporting program will get the people of Aachen in the mood for the Charlemagne Prize
The supporting program for the 75th Charlemagne Prize anniversary begins exactly one month before the award ceremony and includes over 40 events, projects and performances. Lord Mayor Sibylle Keupen praised the supporting program as "one with a lot of depth, in a wide variety of formats and as colorful as Europe".
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© City of Aachen / Jane Kaimer
The Charlemagne Prize 2025 goes to the President of the European Commission Dr. Ursula von der Leyen
With this award, the Charlemagne Prize Board of Directors honors "an outstanding leader of the United Europe, who leads the Union through a time of profound transformations with vision, courage, determination and foresight."
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Harald Krömer, © City of Aachen / Harald Krömer
The President of the European Commission Dr. Ursula von der Leyen receives Aachen delegation
Ursula von der Leyen receives the Aachen delegation at the headquarters of the European Commission in Brussels. In its statement, the Charlemagne Prize Board of Directors said that it wanted to "encourage and strengthen Ursula von der Leyen with the award to represent the EU as a significant force in the global political world".
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The Charlemagne Prize in moving pictures
The prize consists of a certificate and a medal, which is worn on a ribbon in the Aachen city colors of black and yellow. Until 2007, this included a cash prize of 5,000 euros. (Since 2008, this sum has been donated to the Charlemagne Prize for Youth.) An independent committee of Aachen citizens still decides on the award today. Due to the prominence of the honored personalities and the international guests, the awarding of the Charlemagne Prize is a much-noticed event every year.