Christine Lagarde· Not determined

Confirmed

Euro area membership has almost doubled since 1999.

Omissions

• The claim does not specify the exact starting number (11 members in 1999) or ending number (21 members in 2026).
• The MEP made this claim on 9 February 2026, just after Bulgaria joined on 1 January 2026, making the timing particularly favorable to this narrative.

Sources

• PrimaryEuropean Central Bank - Bulgaria adopts the euroOn 1 January 2026 Bulgaria adopted the euro and became the 21st member of the euro area.
• PrimaryEuropean Central Bank - Bulgaria joins the euro areaBulgaria joined the euro area on 1 January 2026.
• PrimaryEuropean Central Bank - Blog: A new member at the tableBulgaria adopted the euro on 1 January 2026. With this, the Bulgarian National Bank became a full shareholder.