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Dithering at the Top Turned EU Crisis to Global Threat
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An account by Journal reporters based on over 25 interviews with eurozone policymakers shows how the central players in the eurozone drama acted to defend their national interests during the period April to July 2011. On one side France's president Sarkozy, Frenchman Claude Trichet at the European Central Bank, arguing in favor of the banks not to take bondholder losses or haircuts on loans made to Greece. On the other side the Bundesbanks Axel Weber, and Jens Weidman, Jurgen Stark and German Finance Minister Schauble. The Germans argued strongly for bondholder losses to take responsibility for bad loan decisions by French and German banks. French banks had committed more loans to Greece than German banks and had more at stake. German public opinion was strongly against German taxpayers paying for the losses, making German politicians insistent that European banks take losses on their bad loan decisions, or Germany would not support additional loans to Greece. Throughout April to July the two sides were locked in an impasse. The French feared losses for their banks and a Lehman Brothers bankruptcy style situation. The Germans at the Bundesbank and the Finance Ministry were equally insistent. A July 2011 summit meeting did not settle the issue. The events not covered here from the July to the December summit of eurozone leaders resulted in bondholders taking 50% haircut on loans to Greece, reducing the debt burden in Greece after austerity measures led to popular protests. The French pushed hard for the ECB or the EFSF to be allowed to make large purchases of bonds of troubled eurozone countries in an effort to protect Spain and Italy from contagion through higher bond yields. The Netherlands and Finland supported Germany's position. German bankers Weber, Weidman at the Bundesbank and Finance Minister Schauble opposed large scale buying by the ECB of Italy's and Spain's bonds and Chancellor Merkel said about a common eurobond that "this is not going to happen." Governments changed in Greece, Italy, and Spain by Dec. 2011, which committed to austerity programs and spending cuts. Italian Mario Draghi was appointed with German support as new head of the ECB. In late December 2011 Draghi launched the Long Term Financing Operation for lending unlimited amounts at 1% for three year loans to European banks and relaxing the terms to accept government bonds and other debt as collateral for loans. The effect of this was to provide a large infusion of liquidity into the banking system in Europe and drastically bring down the yields on bonds issued by Italy and Spain.
Angela Merkel's handling of the financial crises in eurozone countries
04/29/2010
The German response to the debt crisis in the eurozone and the events in 2011-2012.
Grouped Articles
As Greek Drama Plays Out, Where Is Europe?
New York Times 04/29/2010
Germany Clears Rescue for Greece
New York Times 05/03/2010
Economist 05/13/2010
Germans Respond to Merkel's 'Motherly' Side
Wall Street Journal 08/23/2013
Merkel Wins Big in German Election
Wall Street Journal 09/23/2013
Germany's Surplus Isn't the Problem
Wall Street Journal 11/11/2013
The ECB and buying of government bonds of troubled eurozone countries
08/07/2011
The purchases of Italian and Spanish bonds by the European Central Bank in addition to its holdings of 75 billion euros of Portuguese, Greek and Irish bonds creates additional balance sheet risk for the ECB. Losses in the value of collateral could wipe out the 10 billion euro capital base of the ECB. The pressing need to give resources and new powers to the European Financial Stability Facility so that this agency could do the bond buying in the place of the ECB.
Grouped Articles
German Court to Weigh Bond Buying by E.C.B.
New York Times 06/10/2013
ECB’s Coeuré Sends Strong Signal on Asset Purchases
Wall Street Journal 12/18/2014
European Markets Jolted by ECB Proposal
Wall Street Journal 01/21/2015
Quiet Start to Central Bank Bond-Buying Program for the Eurozone
New York Times 03/09/2015
Wall Street Journal 03/10/2015
Wall Street Journal 08/08/2011
Charles Dallara of the Institute of International Finance's assessment of the Greece and eurozone debt restructuring of July 2011 and the Greece bailout in 2015
06/30/2011
Grouped Articles
Personalities Clashing Over How to Handle New Greek Bailout
New York Times 07/23/2015
Greek Bailout Negotiator Sees Benefits for Banks
New York Times 07/24/2011
Some Bailout Providers May One Day Need Help Too
New York Times 07/24/2011
Plan for Greece Favors Creditors
New York Times 07/25/2011
In Greek Debt Deal, Clear Benefits for the Banks
New York Times 07/25/2011
The Euro Crisis: Big Rescue, Big Doubts
BusinessWeek 07/28/2011
The logjam between the bondholders (mostly French and German banks) and the German government- 2010-2012
07/01/2011
The roots of the Eurozone financial crisis go back to the issue of who should pay for the excess lending of French and German banks. Will it be the German taxpayer or the banks that took excessive risks? German financial experts, the German government and parliament, German public opinion, are all adamantly opposed to letting the banks off without sharing at least 50% of the costs of a bailout. A review done by the European Commission in coordination witht he IMF and the ECB, shows that from May 2010 (the date for the inception of the aid program to Greece) to September 2011, $52 billion of the $91 billion loaned to Greece went to pay bondholders for bonds that came due. The July 2011 EU agreement for Greece called for 21% of losses to be allocated to the bondholders. The German government is pushing for 50% and German parlamentary leaders in Merkel's party are balking at anything less.
Grouped Articles
Wall Street Journal 07/13/2011
New York Times 04/13/2013
Policy âTroikaâ for Europe Financial Woes at Odds
New York Times 06/07/2013
Most Greek bailout money has gone to pay off bondholders - The Washington Post
Washington Post 10/23/2011
Dexiaâs Collapse in Europe Points to Global Risks
New York Times 10/22/2011
European Officials Shaping Greek Rescue and Effort to Aid Banks
New York Times 10/22/2011
German Bundesbank president Jens Weidmann and views on the ECB's role in the eurozone crisis
04/19/2010
Jens Weidmann is the new president of the German central bank. Weidman sees two views colliding on how to respond to the eurozone crisis. He expresses the view of the Bundesbank about opposition to sovereign bond purchases by the European Central Bank to ease high bond yields for Spain and Italy. This is considered as overstepping the ECB's manadate for price stability. Weidmann is the German member of the ECB's Governing Council.
Grouped Articles
German Court to Weigh Bond Buying by E.C.B.
New York Times 06/10/2013
Weber Sees Greece Needing More Aid
Wall Street Journal 04/19/2010
Not Quite Checkmate for the Bundesbank
Wall Street Journal 12/22/2014
Germany's Bundesbank Gets a New Inflation-Fighter
Wall Street Journal 05/03/2011
Wall Street Journal 12/09/2011
Leaders Grow Further Apart on Solutions
Wall Street Journal 12/15/2011
The resignations of Jurgen Stark and the ECB's purchase of sovereign bonds of Portugal, Italy and Spain
09/10/2011
The resignations of German representatives on the ECB Executive Board, Axel Weber and Jurgen Stark, over ECB purchases of sovereign bonds. Concern about political risk and financial risk and exceeding the ECB's charter. The need for the governments to assume the critical role of far-reaching reforms of the mechanism for decisions and sanctions.
Grouped Articles
German Court to Weigh Bond Buying by E.C.B.
New York Times 06/10/2013
Europe Bonds May Offer More Value
Wall Street Journal 08/23/2013
Bonds of Italy, Spain Narrow Gap With U.S., German Yields
Wall Street Journal 04/09/2014
As Bond Markets Twist, Investors Shout
Wall Street Journal 06/10/2014
Wall Street Journal 09/10/2011
Stark Walked a Fine Line Between German and EU Monetary Cultures
Wall Street Journal 09/10/2011
John Cochrane and other experts give a no-nonsense view of the bailouts and the financial crises facing Europe
12/02/2010
Insights that the real problem is short term debt financing. The need for the EU to insist on long tem debt financing for governments in Europe. The solution for this crisis is not in bailouts of Greece, Spain, Italy and so on, but to swap the short term debt for debt with longer term maturities, and for bondholders to take a haircut. Similiar to the Brady Plan for Latin America in the late 1980's. The bailout of Ireland in reality not a bailout of Ireland, as a bailout of German and British banks that made risky loans to Irish banks and the Irish government. The U.S. government's debt also tilted to short term debt and problems similar to European problems.
Grouped Articles
EU Dismisses IMF's Criticism On Greek Bailout
Wall Street Journal 06/07/2013
'Contagion' and Other Euro Myths
Wall Street Journal 12/02/2010
As Ireland Flails, Europe Lurches Across the Rubicon
Wall Street Journal 12/27/2010
Running the euro zone: Pact of uncompetitiveness
Economist 02/12/2011
Wall Street Journal 03/11/2011
Europe Needs to Apportion Pain
Wall Street Journal 03/17/2011
Dutchman Bob Traa's mid-2009 IMF report on Greece and the warning light on Greece
03/03/2010
Analysts point to the lack of immediate action as the main reason the crisis is spiralling out of control. The IMF report in mid 2009 raised the alarm on Greece's financial situation. One estimate is for bondholders needing to take 85% haircut on loans to Greece, instead of the 50% agreed to under the EU plan in November 2011. The situation has worsened as ECB president Trichet and others in the EU pushed austerity plans on Greece without working out needed serious debt reduction of over half the debt in 2009. The idea of a default in the eurozone was considered unthinkable, leading to errors in judgement by decisionmakers.
Grouped Articles
Greek Debt Crisis: The Back Story
New York Times 08/13/2011
A Warning Light to Alert the I.M.F.
New York Times 09/21/2011
EU Dismisses IMF's Criticism On Greek Bailout
Wall Street Journal 06/07/2013
Policy âTroikaâ for Europe Financial Woes at Odds
New York Times 06/07/2013
Wall Street Journal 03/03/2010
Past Rifts Over Greece Cloud Talks on Rescue
Wall Street Journal 10/07/2013
The twin problems of lack of growth under austerity plans and overvalued currencies of Italy, Greece, Spain and Portugal
06/24/2011
The twin problems of lack of growth and overvalued currencies under the solutions of austerity plans without debt reduction and a single euro currency create impossible odds for a resolution of the eurozone financial crisis. Germany's insistence on tough austerity measures, European banks delaying restructuring of bad loans similar to the U.S. Brady plan, failure of politicians in Italy and Greece to take early action, and small steps by policymakers, are compounding the effects of the eurozone crisis.
Grouped Articles
German Election Overturns Political Order
Wall Street Journal 09/23/2013
New York Times 11/03/2013
Germany's Surplus Isn't the Problem
Wall Street Journal 11/11/2013
The 'Silent Austerity' in Banking
Wall Street Journal 01/21/2014
Italy Central Banker Is Open to 'Bad Bank'
Wall Street Journal 02/10/2014
Saying No to Austerity, Spain Unveils Tax Cuts
New York Times 06/20/2014
Greece and prime minister Papandreou's Nov. 3, 2011 referendum proposal on the euro and austerity plans
07/01/2011
Grouped Articles
Europe, Athens Battle for Greek Hearts and Minds Ahead of Referendum
Wall Street Journal 06/30/2015
Hopeful Start to Greek Debt Negotiations Quickly Soured
New York Times 07/02/2015
Greek Referendum on Offer That Is Off the Table Baffles Voters
New York Times 07/02/2015
Why Not Give the Greeks Their Say?
New York Times 11/03/2011
Greek Leader Calls Off Referendum
New York Times 11/03/2011
Call for Greek Vote Unsettles Europe
Wall Street Journal 11/02/2011
An account of the events and the role of key players in the eurozone crisis of 2011-2012
05/13/2010
Grouped Articles
Economist 05/13/2010
Dithering at the Top Turned EU Crisis to Global Threat
Wall Street Journal 12/29/2011
Deepening Crisis Over Euro Pits Leader Against Leader
Wall Street Journal 12/30/2011
European Leaders Agree to New Budget Discipline Measures
New York Times 01/30/2012
Wall Street Journal 04/26/2012
E.C.B. Sees a Healing Euro Zone but Warns of Risks
New York Times 12/14/2012
The European Union agreement for the eurozone debt crisis in Greece and other countries in July 2011
06/30/2011
The first really workable agreement was finally reached in Brussels after a year of sharp differences between the ECB, EU leaders, Greece government and opposition parties, and leaders of France, Germany and other EU countries. Fears of contagion for Italy and Spain and a sense of the dangers to the EU and the Euro currency itself led to the agreement, with the EU governments coming up with the financial support which will be channelled through the European Financial Stability Facility. The debt ceiling crisis in the U.S. may have added to the urgency to reduce nervousness in the markets about a breakdown in EU governance along with that in the U.S.
Grouped Articles
Wall Street Journal 07/13/2011
Europe Must Choose Currency or Financial Union
New York Times 07/21/2011
Greece Gets New Bailout as U.S. Nears Brink
Wall Street Journal 07/22/2011
A Guide to the New Deal in Athens: How a 'Selective Default' Works
Wall Street Journal 07/22/2011
Wall Street Journal 07/22/2011
Euro Zone's Imperfect Path to Union
Wall Street Journal 07/22/2011
The EU Summit, December 9, 2011
12/09/2011
The German position not to allow large scale bond buying by the ECB remained unchanged. The focus continued on getting debt brakes and fiscal discipline rules set for the eurozone members. The ECB's Mario Draghi opposes central banks of Europe sending money to the IMF which would be used to support EU countries with debt problems. The ECB lowered interest rates by 0.25% for the eurozone, bringing interest rates to 1%, and reversing earlier ECB policies under Trichet that increased rates. In addition the ECB will provide unlimited funding to European commercial banks for longer maturities of 3 years, instead of the current 1 year maturity.
Grouped Articles
Wall Street Journal 12/09/2011
British Prime Minister Cameron’s veto of E.U. pact splinters his coalition - The Washington Post
Washington Post 12/11/2011
Legal Uncertainty Imperils EU Agreement
Wall Street Journal 12/14/2011
Leaders Grow Further Apart on Solutions
Wall Street Journal 12/15/2011
The Euro Zone's Double Failure
Wall Street Journal 12/15/2011
Euro Treaty to Require Only 9 Nations for Ratification
New York Times 12/16/2011
Boost for eurozone exports from a weaker euro in 2012-2016
09/25/2011
Economists estimate the lower value of the euro against the dollar and other currencies will boost economc growth in the eurozone by half a percentage point. Ireland, Portugal, Spain and France will benefit from the lower exchange rate for the euro in 2012-2014.
Grouped Articles
New York Times 09/25/2011
After a Recession in Portugal, the Tiny Green Fruits of Success
New York Times 08/28/2013
Euro Displays Uncommon Strength
Wall Street Journal 12/06/2013
Weak Export Growth Raises Prospect of Currency Moves
Wall Street Journal 10/06/2014
Dollar Surges to 11-Year High Against Biggest Rivals
Wall Street Journal 01/04/2015
Weaker Euro Ripples Around World
Wall Street Journal 03/13/2015
What does Germany want from the Euro and the European Union? The Euro issue facing Germany in 2011-2015
03/03/2010
German political leaders do not want a "transfer union." At the same time they want to keep the European Union, just as much as Chancellor Kohl and Chancellor Adenauer. Merkel, Schroeder, Schauble and other leaders agree on the need for the European Union. The question is how to bring fiscal discipline to the EU, even if this means redesigning the structure of the EU. The vision of a united Europe persists.
Grouped Articles
Wall Street Journal 03/03/2010
Germany's Surplus Isn't the Problem
Wall Street Journal 11/11/2013
New York Times 05/22/2014
Greek Crisis Shows How Germany’s Power Polarizes Europe
Wall Street Journal 07/07/2015
Economist 08/08/2015
Charlemagne: Germany’s euro question
Economist 09/10/2011
The views of Axel Weber, former head of the Bundesbank, on the ECB's role and the need to address the underlying problems in Greece
04/19/2010
Axel Weber says the European Central Bank should stick to its mandate of setting monetary policy and not get too involved in the crisis in Greece. He says Greece's problems are structural and may take a long time to resolve, as much as 30 years. The European leaders have to decide on solving the underlying problems so that they cut the losses and restart, by offering debt guarantees and using partial creditor haircuts. Simply giving additional loans -which can never be repaid considering the debt of 350 billion euros ($496 billion)- or addding short term liquidity for a 3-5 year solution as European leaders have done so far, won't work.
Grouped Articles
EU Dismisses IMF's Criticism On Greek Bailout
Wall Street Journal 06/07/2013
German Court to Weigh Bond Buying by E.C.B.
New York Times 06/10/2013
Weber Sees Greece Needing More Aid
Wall Street Journal 04/19/2010
The 'Silent Austerity' in Banking
Wall Street Journal 01/21/2014
Not Quite Checkmate for the Bundesbank
Wall Street Journal 12/22/2014
Germany's Weber Slams Rescue Efforts
Wall Street Journal 06/27/2011
ECB president Jean-Claude Trichet
02/05/2008
Grouped Articles
ECB Chief Seeks Tighter Fiscal Union
Wall Street Journal 06/22/2010
Europe’s Central Banker Engineers His Economics
New York Times 02/05/2008
Europe's Central Banker Seeks Deeper Fiscal Union
Wall Street Journal 06/03/2011
Trichet's Solution for an Imperfect Union
Wall Street Journal 06/03/2011
Trichet Urges Creation Of Euro Oversight Panel
New York Times 06/02/2011
European Central Bank Raises Rates as Expected
New York Times 07/07/2011
The growing debate over bondholder haircut, easy money policies, sacrifices, and austerity policies.
11/25/2010
This debate puts British prime minister Cameron, and German chancellor Angela Merkel, on one side, with US President Obama, US central bank chairman Bernanke and other leaders on the other side. The blanket Irish guarantee of all Irish bank debt is an example of improper action that could have prevented the need for an Irish bailout, when guaranteeing only retail Irish bank debt would have worked. Merkel has insisted on bondholders sharing in bank losses, and tougher action required for countries receiving bailouts.
Grouped Articles
A Crisis Needing More Sacrifice
New York Times 11/25/2010
Crises Shake German Trust in Euro Zone
New York Times 11/26/2010
EU Outlines Bond Restructuring Plan
Wall Street Journal 11/28/2010
Europe Backs Irish Rescue and New Rules on Bailouts
New York Times 11/28/2010
Wall Street Journal 12/02/2010
'Contagion' and Other Euro Myths
Wall Street Journal 12/02/2010
A Brady Plan type solution for the debt crises in Greece, Ireland, Portugal and other EU countries.
05/18/2010
Grouped Articles
EU Dismisses IMF's Criticism On Greek Bailout
Wall Street Journal 06/07/2013
Personalities Clashing Over How to Handle New Greek Bailout
New York Times 07/23/2015
Nervous Europe Trying to Halt Economic Crisis
New York Times 11/30/2010
Europe's Central Banker Seeks Deeper Fiscal Union
Wall Street Journal 06/03/2011
'Contagion' and Other Euro Myths
Wall Street Journal 12/02/2010
Greek Myths and the Euro Tragedy
Wall Street Journal 05/18/2010
Bloomberg Business Week's Peter Coy calls for debt forgiveness- creditor haircuts for sovereign debt in Europe, and bank writedowns of debt in the U.S. housing market
08/10/2011
Peter Coy of Bloomberg Business Week calls for debt forgiveness in the August 2011 issue of Business Week. Stretching out the debt issues without writedowns says Coy, only leads to austerity programs, stagnant growth and drags the issues out over many years. Better solutions can be found by starting anew with writedowns now and arrangements to make this possible, and returning to growth sooner. What about moral hazard? There is moral hazard in letting the banks bear no cost for reckless lending decisions, they are as likely to repeat this behaviour says Coy, as Greece or the underwater mortgage borrower in the U.S., if they did not have to bear the consequences of their decisions.
Grouped Articles
How Righteousness Killed the World Economy
New York Times 10/12/2014
Greece’s new prime minister wants Germany to pay for Nazi war crimes - The Washington Post
Washington Post 01/26/2015
For Europe’s Sake, Keep Greece in the Eurozone
New York Times 07/06/2015
How to Undo the Damage in Greece
New York Times 07/06/2015
Personalities Clashing Over How to Handle New Greek Bailout
New York Times 07/23/2015
BusinessWeek 08/10/2011
The austerity spending cuts and new taxes in Greece- 2011-2012
06/28/2011
Grouped Articles
Greek Patience With Austerity Nears Its Limit
New York Times 12/29/2014
Greek Ship Owners Fear Syriza Tax Plan
Wall Street Journal 01/28/2015
Greece Wanted to Reframe Europe’s Austerity Debate. It Failed.
New York Times 07/01/2015
Mirage of Economic Turnaround Masked New Greek Crisis in the Making
Wall Street Journal 07/05/2015
Wall Street Journal 06/29/2011
Two-Day Strike in Greece Ahead of Austerity Vote
New York Times 06/28/2011
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