In the political order of the EU this means being accountable to the European Parliament, the only body that derives its legitimacy directly from the people. The ideas Tommaso developed as economist emerged powerfully in his function as a leading thinker at the ECB.
Deeply convinced that, especially in all European matters, “Nothing is possible without humans, but nothing is lasting without institutions” (as Jean Monnet said), his concern was to shape the ECB as an independent institution that is nevertheless – and necessarily – embedded within the overall institutional context of the EU.