▁studies . ▁Then ▁I ▁became ▁more ▁serious .” ▁ ▁He ▁received ▁a ▁doctor ate ▁in ▁ 1 9 7 5 . ▁ ▁Career ▁From ▁ 1 9 7 8 ▁to ▁ 1 9 9 8 ▁St ark ▁held ▁economic ▁policy ▁positions ▁in ▁the ▁German ▁Federal ▁Government . ▁ ▁From ▁September ▁ 1 9 9 8 ▁to ▁May ▁ 2 0 0 6 ▁he ▁served ▁two ▁consecutive ▁terms ▁as ▁Vice ▁President ▁of ▁the ▁Bundes bank , ▁acting ▁as ▁President ▁of ▁the ▁bank ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 4 . ▁ ▁On ▁ 9 ▁September ▁ 2 0 1 1 , ▁it ▁was ▁reported ▁that ▁St ark ▁would ▁leave ▁the ▁EC B ▁due ▁to ▁disag re ement ▁with ▁the ▁bank ' s ▁controvers ial ▁bond - bu ying ▁programme , ▁according ▁to ▁Re ut ers , ▁while ▁the ▁EC B ▁officially ▁announced ▁his ▁res ignation ▁as ▁being ▁for ▁" person al ▁reasons ". ▁St ark ' s ▁term ▁had ▁been ▁set ▁to ▁exp ire ▁in ▁May ▁ 2 0 1 4 . ▁Although ▁he ▁has ▁officially ▁res igned , ▁he ▁will ▁continue ▁to ▁dis charge ▁the ▁duties ▁of ▁his ▁post ▁until ▁a ▁successor ▁is ▁appointed , ▁before ▁the ▁end ▁of ▁ 2 0 1 1 . ▁Current ▁deput y ▁fin ance ▁minister ▁of ▁Germany , ▁J ör g ▁As m ussen , ▁has ▁been ▁nominated ▁as ▁St ark ' s ▁successor . ▁In ▁December , ▁St ark ▁spoke ▁out ▁against ▁the ▁idea ▁of ▁the ▁International ▁Mon et ary ▁Fund ▁becoming ▁a ▁major ▁particip ant ▁in