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Deepening Crisis Over Euro Pits Leader Against Leader
Keywords:
Wall Street Journal reporters Walker in Berlin, Forelle in Brussels, and Meichtry in Rome, reconstruct the events during critical days after the indecision and failure to reach agreement during the July summit of eurozone countries. This took the form of intervews with leading players and over 25 policy makers. What emerges are accounts of how Germany's Angela Merkel, daughter of a Lutheran pastor, and protege of Eurozone founder, former German chancellor Helmut Kohl, handled the crisis. Merkel was widely criticized in the media for indecision. What emerges is an account of a leader who took decisive action at key moments in the crisis- leading to the formation of new governments in Greece and Italy taking action to improve finances, and negotiations with banks represented by the International Finance Corporation leading to acceptance by banks of a 50% loss on loans to Greece to reduce Greece's unsustainable debt burden. Merkel also worked with the European Central Bank's departing president Frenchman Claude Trichet and new president Italian Mario Draghi to resist French president Sarkozy's efforts to have the ECB assume responsibility for the crisis through large scale buying of Italian and Spanish bonds; which was opposed by German public opinion as a backdoor way of having German taxpayers assume responsibility for European debt. Shown are three critical moments when Merkel intervened. In October 2011, after Italian prime minister Berlusconi reneged on promises to make pension and other reforms to improve Italian finances because of political resistance. He survived a parliamentary no-confidence vote by one vote. Merkel took the lead on October 20, by directly calling Italian President Georgio Napolitano on the phone, to urge him to take action for forming a new government in Italy. The result was Napolitano talking with all political parties to form a new government, leading to the formation of a government by a non-political figure respected in Italy, former EU commissioner Mario Monti. A day earlier, on October 19, French President Sarkozy met ECB president, Trichet, at an event honoring him as departing ECB president in Frankfurt's Alte Oper concert hall. Trichet, Merkel and Sarkozy met in a side room. Sarkozy asked for decisive help from the ECB for large scale buying of Italian and Spanish bonds to lower yields, which had reached 7% on Italian bonds. Trichet responded that the ECB's charter did not allow it to finance governments, with the meeting ending in a shouting match between the two leaders. On October 21, EU and IMF inspectors warned that Greece's debt was reaching unsustainable proportions and austerity measures alone would not work, unless the bondholders, the European banks, took losses of 60% on their excessive lending to Greece. At this point France agreed to the German position arguing for this level of bondholder haircuts or losses, fearing the prospect of large future bailouts that would jeopardize France's triple AAA credit rating. The July 2011 summit accord had only provided for 10% in losses for bondholders. On October 27, at a meeting that went past midnight, Merkel and Sarkozy called IIF head Charles Dallara, who headed negotiating for the banks, to EU headquarters in Brussels. Merkel handed Dallara an agreement containing the 50% bondholder loss demand, and told Dallara- "This is the last offer." Merkel was saying banks would be left with nothing if they rejected it and Greece defaulted. Dallara called bankers and the IIF accepted Merkel's agreement. The final moment that October came on October 31, when Greece's prime minister Papandreou said he would call a referendum on the bailout provisions and austerity measures demanded by the IMF, the EU and the ECB. Bond markets reacted negatively to the announcement fearing a rejection and a Greek default. The Group of 20 leaders was meeting in Cannes, France on Nov. 2, 2011. Papandreou was asked to come to Cannes for a pre-summit meeting. Here Merkel told Papandreou- "the real question" for the referendum was, "Do you want to be in the euro, or not?" Days later Papandreou, lacking support in Greece from political parties and opposition inside his party, submitted his resignation. A non-political figure respected in Greece, former ECB vice president, Lucas Papademos, was appointed prime minister to head a Unity government. Polls after the appointment showed three fourths of Greeks said that this was "a positive step for Greece," with Papandreou's party getting only 11% support and the opposition led by Samaras about 20%. The criticism leveled at Merkel is that Germany should take responsibility for debt throughout the euro area through the issuance of eurozone bonds or the ECB buying large amount of bonds of Spain and Italy. Merkel faced strong opposition inside Germany and from the Bundesbank to this idea. The other criticism was based on austerity measures worsening the finances of Greece because of a lack of growth in the economy, which is true; yet Germany may see the situation in Greece as taking a long time to be resolved in any event because of excessive and faulty financial management. For Italy and Spain putting finances in order was a necessity, and austerity measures should lead to short term sacrifice but improve prospects for the long term by returning the economies to growth. Another criticism is the installation of governments that lack popular or electoral support. As the polls in Greece showed the Unity government there has far greater support and public opinion blames the politicians for the huge mess. In Italy, Berlusconi was widely seen as losing popular support when he resigned. And in Spain Mariano Rajoy, the newly elected prime minister, was elected with a huge majority in parliament following winning in local government elections. Merkel also held her own party, the Chrisitian Democrats together at the recent Leipzig convention. Mario Draghi, was elected with German support to head the European Central Bank. He has long argued for better management of Italian finances as head of Italy's central bank. Draghi was able to support Merkel with carefully planned and managed actions. First to reduce interest rates to support economic growth in a slowing eurozone. Following this with the ECB's Long Term Financing Operation in late December 2011, to provide unlimited loans to European banks at 1% interest for three years in exchange for a broadened list of collateral deposited at the ECB. In a final twist in this drama, Charles Dallara, who was a key negotiator for the U.S. Treasury in setting up the Brady Bonds- that converted bad Latin American government debt owed to U.S. banks in the 1980's into long term debt with large reductions in principal owed and lower interest rates. This was in exchange for guaranteed repayment with 30 year U.S. zero coupon bonds. Dallara was now a negotiator for the banks to reduce the chance of the very same bondholder haircuts that he had negotiated in an earlier period to solve the Latin American debt crisis. Other players in the drama were Axel Weber, head of the Bundesbank, Germany's central bank, who resigned after strong and outspoken opposition to the ECB's large scale purchase of bonds of Greece, Italy and Spain. Jens Weidmann, his protege, who replaced him. And Jurgen Stark, German representative at the ECB, who also resigned in opposition to Germany assuming responsibility for eurozone debt.
Germany's Angela Merkel's decisiveness at key moments in the eurozone crisis 2010-2012
04/29/2010
In dealing with bankers on bondholder losses for loans to Greece, with Greece's prime minister Papandreou over a proposed referendum on debt reduction, and with French president Sarkozy on bondholder losses to reduce Greek debt, at every turn Angela Merkel showed a clear decisiveness during the eurozone crisis in 2011-2012. After a no confidence vote for premier Berlusconi in Italy's parliament Merkel persuaded president Napolitano to win consensus for the formation of a new government headed by Mario Monti, EU commissioner. After earlier fumbling with the crisis in actions by Merkel in 2010, the German chancellor learned from errors and improved her handling of the eurozone crisis in 2011-2013.
Grouped Articles
Deepening Crisis Over Euro Pits Leader Against Leader
Wall Street Journal 12/30/2011
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
Germans Respond to Merkel's 'Motherly' Side
Wall Street Journal 08/23/2013
German Election Overturns Political Order
Wall Street Journal 09/23/2013
Greek Crisis Shows How Germany’s Power Polarizes Europe
Wall Street Journal 07/07/2015
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
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
Italy- government debt, credit ratings, and borrowing costs 2010-2013
05/14/2010
Italy's borrowing costs went up to 5.7% a week after the July 22, 2011 eurozone debt deal for Greece.
Grouped Articles
Return of Long-Term Bond Buyers Seen as Crucial to Europe
New York Times 06/29/2012
Italian Vote Turns in Bonds' Favor
Wall Street Journal 04/23/2013
Italy Urged to Resist a Relapse in Spending
Wall Street Journal 05/03/2013
Wall Street Journal 05/14/2010
Europe Bonds May Offer More Value
Wall Street Journal 08/23/2013
The Key to Italy's Rating Is Kept in Canada
Wall Street Journal 11/02/2013
Mario Draghi, head of the ECB, and the eurozone crisis with Italian bond yields approaching 8% in Dec. 2011
11/10/2011
Draghi addresses the issue of large scale purchases of bonds of Italy and Spain to ease pressure on bond yields, by leaving open the possibility of action if the EU countries take the necessary steps for a strict budgetary framework.
Grouped Articles
Return of Long-Term Bond Buyers Seen as Crucial to Europe
New York Times 06/29/2012
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
Euro Strengthens as Fears Fade
Wall Street Journal 01/12/2013
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
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
The ECB's Long Term Financing Operation Dec. 2011- March 2012
11/10/2011
The ECB's newly created Long Term Financing Operation enables European banks to meet their financing needs by borrowing from the European Central Bank at low rates of 1% for three years. Mid size banks in Spain buy government bonds of Spain and use the bonds as collateral at the ECB to access this lowcost funding. This has helped bring down rates at a recent auction of Spain's bonds from 5.1% to 1.7%. Italian banks also participated in the same way. 523 European banks borrowed 489 billion euros on Dec. 21, 2011, under this newly created financing operation of the ECB. This provides European banks financing as they are shutoff from normal financing by selling unsecured bonds to private and institutional lenders. This helps banks in the eurozone meet financial needs in 2012 without reducing lending to businesses and consumers.
Grouped Articles
German Court to Weigh Bond Buying by E.C.B.
New York Times 06/10/2013
E.C.B. Plots Strategy for Staving Off Deflation
New York Times 05/26/2014
Euro-Zone Banks Tap Big ECB Loans
Wall Street Journal 12/21/2011
Staring Into the ECB's Mini Bazooka
Wall Street Journal 12/21/2011
A Central Bank Doing What Central Banks Do
New York Times 12/21/2011
European Banks Rush to Grasp Lifeline
Wall Street Journal 12/22/2011
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
Italy's culture of tax evasion and the cost to the economy
11/25/2011
One estimate of the loss to the Italian Treasury from tax evasion- through underreporting of income from plumbers to real estate agents and large property owners and other forms of tax evasion- is $340 billion. With the deepening economic crisis the sense of what this is costing the country is beginning to sink in. About 73% of Italians now support the fight against tax evasion being led by the new government of Mario Monti, the former European commissioner. The loss is not only to the Treasury and ability to balance the budget without deficits, this also burdens companies and reduces capital needed for investments in plant, new equipment, and R&D, which create jobs.
Grouped Articles
Amid crisis, Italy confronts a culture of tax evasion - The Washington Post
Washington Post 11/25/2011
Italy Plan Opens Pivotal Week for Euro
Wall Street Journal 12/05/2011
BusinessWeek 12/08/2011
Italy Tries to Raise the Social Stigma on Tax Evasion
New York Times 12/24/2011
Italy’s uphill financial fight - The Washington Post
Washington Post 12/27/2011
Deepening Crisis Over Euro Pits Leader Against Leader
Wall Street Journal 12/30/2011
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
Lucas Papademos as the new prime minister of Greece in Nov. 2011
11/10/2011
Papademos was vice president of the European Central Bank. He was a classmate of Mario Draghi at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
Grouped Articles
Economist Lucas Papademos Named Prime Minister of Greece
New York Times 11/10/2011
Merkel Urges Party to Help Save Euro
Wall Street Journal 11/14/2011
Greeks Welcome Papademos as New Prime Minister, Polls Show
Wall Street Journal 11/14/2011
New York Times 11/15/2011
As Nations Bet on Technocrats, Odds Look Stiff
Wall Street Journal 11/17/2011
European Bank Chief Pushes Back
Wall Street Journal 11/19/2011
Spain's cleanup of bad bank assets under prime minister Rajoy in 2012-2013
09/28/2011
Grouped Articles
Wall Street Journal 09/28/2011
Spain Emerges From Recession but Sees More Austerity Ahead
Wall Street Journal 09/23/2013
Spain Weighing a Fast, Costly Cleanup of Banks
Wall Street Journal 12/07/2011
Why European Banks Are Sacrificing Growth
BusinessWeek 12/15/2011
Spain's Rajoy Takes Aim at Deficit
Wall Street Journal 12/20/2011
A Central Bank Doing What Central Banks Do
New York Times 12/21/2011
The Sarkozy-Merkel meeting in Deauville, France, October 18, 2010, that sets the stage for a closer union for the EU.
12/27/2010
Germany and France make the momentous decision to move forward with a closer fiscal union of the 16 nation European Union. The efforts to build anew the conditions for the Euro to succeed. The vision of a united Europe persists.
Grouped Articles
New Attempt at French-German Amity Stumbles in Venice
Wall Street Journal 08/21/2013
Germans Respond to Merkel's 'Motherly' Side
Wall Street Journal 08/23/2013
German Election Overturns Political Order
Wall Street Journal 09/23/2013
New York Times 05/22/2014
Economist 11/11/2015
As Ireland Flails, Europe Lurches Across the Rubicon
Wall Street Journal 12/27/2010
The experience of integrating East Germany into a reunited Germany and a tighter union for the EU
09/30/2010
German chancellor Merkel's own experience with the integration of east Germany- the price paid and the effort needed from both parts of Germany- is relevant to the project for building a tighter framework for the European Union. A special reunification tax generated 1.7 trillion euros to finance the effort and rebuild the eastern part of Germany.
Grouped Articles
For Some Germans, Unity Is Still Work in Progress
New York Times 09/30/2010
In a United Germany, the Scars of the East-West Divide Have Faded
New York Times 10/02/2015
Merkel's Defense of Euro Forged in East Germany
New York Times 01/30/2011
Portugal Premier: No Bailout Needed
Wall Street Journal 02/04/2011
Merkel Taps Adviser to Head Bundesbank
Wall Street Journal 02/17/2011
Germany's economy: Angela in Wunderland
Economist 02/05/2011
German chancellor Merkel's coalition government with the Free Democrats (FDP) in 2010-2013
06/28/2010
Grouped Articles
Germans Respond to Merkel's 'Motherly' Side
Wall Street Journal 08/23/2013
Presidential Vote Will Test Merkel
Wall Street Journal 06/28/2010
Merkel Looks to Recharge Her Ratings
New York Times 07/21/2010
German Industries Rebuke Chancellor
Wall Street Journal 08/21/2010
BusinessWeek 09/30/2010
Crises Shake German Trust in Euro Zone
New York Times 11/26/2010
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
The need for haircuts for private debt to make an effort to solve the problem of the fifth of US homeowners under water.
09/30/2010
Carmen Reinhart points out that the government can only assume private debt at a realistic price. Without principal reductions there appears to be no solution to the problem of the fifth of homeowners in the US who are under water. This keeps acting as a drag on the economy.
Grouped Articles
BusinessWeek 09/30/2010
State Attorneys General Take Helm in Mortgage Mess
New York Times 10/29/2010
To Fix the Housing Crisis, Read the Data
New York Times 11/04/2011
Deepening Crisis Over Euro Pits Leader Against Leader
Wall Street Journal 12/30/2011
Forgiveness of Debt Could Yield Savings
Wall Street Journal 07/30/2012
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
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
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
Credit Ratings firms and the U.S. and Eurozone financial crisis of 2010-2012
12/08/2009
Criticism of credit ratings firms. European commissioner Barnier calls for banning credit raings on countries receiving financial aid after Moody's strongly downgraded Protugal's debt ratingin July 2011. The problems of credit ratings being very pro-cyclical and the need to reduce the role of ratings in the market and regulatory framework in Europe.
Grouped Articles
ECB Chief Seeks Tighter Fiscal Union
Wall Street Journal 06/22/2010
What Crisis? Big Ratings Firms Stronger Than Ever
Wall Street Journal 03/10/2016
Ratings Gag Is No Joking Matter
Wall Street Journal 07/12/2011
Debt Raters Avoid Overhaul After Crisis
New York Times 12/08/2009
Wall Street Journal 07/23/2011
S&P downgrades U.S. credit rating for first time - The Washington Post
Washington Post 08/06/2011
Italy, Spain and austerity measures- 2011-2013
08/08/2011
Analysts point to the austerity measures adopted by Italy and Spain much earlier than other countries in the eurozone. The risk now is cutting into muscle as growth for 2011 is expected to be below 1% in both countries. Italy say analysts is actually in surplus when the interest on debt is excluded.
Grouped Articles
Italy Urged to Resist a Relapse in Spending
Wall Street Journal 05/03/2013
Still Sputtering, Spain Turns Away From Cuts
Wall Street Journal 05/12/2013
German Election Overturns Political Order
Wall Street Journal 09/23/2013
New York Times 11/03/2013
Saying No to Austerity, Spain Unveils Tax Cuts
New York Times 06/20/2014
European Finance Ministers Support Investment Program
New York Times 09/14/2014
S&P and sovereign eurozone debt credit ratings
06/24/2011
S&P debt ratings for France, Spain, Italy, Germany, Netherlands and other Eurozone countries.
Grouped Articles
S.&P. Downgrade Deals Blow to French Government
New York Times 11/08/2013
Social-Security Woes Vex France's Hollande
Wall Street Journal 11/11/2013
New York Times 11/10/2013
Netherlands Loses Triple-A Rating, Spain Outlook Raised
Wall Street Journal 11/30/2013
What Crisis? Big Ratings Firms Stronger Than Ever
Wall Street Journal 03/10/2016
S.&P. Warns Euro Zone of Ratings Downgrades
New York Times 12/05/2011
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
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
Mario Monti, as head of the new Italian government in November 2011
11/10/2011
Former European Commissioner, Mario Monti, is the top candidate to head the new administration in Italy.
Grouped Articles
Italy's Monti Hopes Summit Win Plays at Home
Wall Street Journal 06/29/2012
Italian Prime Ministerâs Political Acrobatics
New York Times 04/28/2013
‘The European Union needs Italy’ - The Washington Post
Washington Post 10/18/2013
Italy Front-Runner Seen as Political Outsider
Wall Street Journal 11/11/2011
Rome Plan for Growth Garners EU Praise
Wall Street Journal 11/11/2011
Can Italy Put Berlusconi Behind It?
New York Times 11/10/2011
Italy's austerity measures- 2011-2013
06/30/2011
Grouped Articles
Italy Urged to Resist a Relapse in Spending
Wall Street Journal 05/03/2013
How Righteousness Killed the World Economy
New York Times 10/12/2014
EU Won’t Reject French, Italian Budgets
Wall Street Journal 10/28/2014
New York Times 11/30/2014
Italian Government Advances Austerity Plan
New York Times 06/30/2011
Wall Street Journal 07/12/2011
Silvio Berlusconi and Italy
06/11/2011
Grouped Articles
Resignations Threaten Italian Coalition
New York Times 09/28/2013
Dealing a Blow to Berlusconi, an Italian Senate Panel Recommends His Expulsion
New York Times 10/04/2013
Italy Senate Committee Votes in Favor of Ousting Berlusconi
Wall Street Journal 10/06/2013
Berlusconi Ordered to Stand Trial on Bribery Charges
Wall Street Journal 10/24/2013
Italy’s Berlusconi Convicted in Bribery Case
Wall Street Journal 07/08/2015
Berlusconi's legacy: The cavaliere and the cavallo
Economist 06/11/2011
Italy's Mario Draghi, as the new president of the ECB
04/20/2011
Grouped Articles
ECB Moves Markets, Not Economy
Wall Street Journal 05/03/2013
Bonds of Italy, Spain Narrow Gap With U.S., German Yields
Wall Street Journal 04/09/2014
Italian Gains Support in Central Bank Race
Wall Street Journal 04/20/2011
Paris Backs Italy's Draghi as Europe's Central Banker
Wall Street Journal 04/27/2011
German Paper Finds Draghi Not So Bad After All
New York Times 04/29/2011
Trichet to Leave a Difficult Legacy at Central Bank
New York Times 05/31/2011
Spain under the new administration of Mariano Rajoy in 2012-2018
11/16/2011
The Partido Popular under Mariano Rajoy is expected to win a large majority in Spain's general elections in 2012.
Grouped Articles
Spain's Rajoy Rejects Calls to Quit Over Text Messages
Wall Street Journal 07/16/2013
Spain Emerges From Recession but Sees More Austerity Ahead
Wall Street Journal 09/23/2013
Election Is Unlikely to Cure Spain's Pain
Wall Street Journal 11/16/2011
Spanish Vote Heralds More Austerity
Wall Street Journal 11/18/2011
Spain’s conservatives declare victory in election - The Washington Post
Washington Post 11/20/2011
Conservatives Ride Crisis to Victory in Spanish Vote
Wall Street Journal 11/21/2011
The 2011 Christian Democratic Union Party Convention in Leipzig, Germany
07/13/2011
It was at the 2003 CDU convention in Leipzig that Angela Merkel told delegates that the CDU would return Germany to it position of economic leadership in Europe.
Grouped Articles
Wall Street Journal 07/13/2011
Merkel Offers Her Election Manifesto
New York Times 06/24/2013
Greek Crisis Shows How Germany’s Power Polarizes Europe
Wall Street Journal 07/07/2015
Merkel Party Seeks Euro Exit Policy
Wall Street Journal 11/15/2011
Merkel Urges Party to Help Save Euro
Wall Street Journal 11/14/2011
European Bank Chief Pushes Back
Wall Street Journal 11/19/2011
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
Germany's Constitutional Court and the EU bailouts
09/07/2011
Germany's Constitutional Court and EU bailouts of Greece, Portugal, Ireland and other countries in the EU. The Court ruled that the bailouts were legal under German law. It also required that future bailouts would have to be approved by a parliamentary committee. This does not preclude bailout loans as the Merkel government has support for its moderate position in the parliamentary committees.
Grouped Articles
German Court to Weigh Bond Buying by E.C.B.
New York Times 06/10/2013
Greek Bailout Cost Hampers Prospects of Deal
Wall Street Journal 07/11/2015
Washington Post 09/07/2011
New York Times 12/01/2011
Deepening Crisis Over Euro Pits Leader Against Leader
Wall Street Journal 12/30/2011
An American History Lesson for Europe
Wall Street Journal 02/03/2012
The European Union leaders insistence on pay curbs to prevent reckless risk taking 2011-2012
02/04/2009
Sarkozy of France and Merkel of Germany insist that pay curbs for bankers be high on the agenda for the G20 meeting in Pittsburgh. They are particularly riled by the huge bonuses bankers are taking in the midst of the continuing financial crisis.
Grouped Articles
Wall Street Journal 10/31/2013
Royal Bank of Scotland to Slash Costs as Losses Deepen
Wall Street Journal 02/28/2014
Wall Street Bonuses Are an Outrage
Wall Street Journal 02/04/2009
U.K. Bankers to Wait Seven Years for Bonuses
Wall Street Journal 06/24/2015
The U.K.'s New Bonus Claw Back Rules
Wall Street Journal 06/24/2015
British Regulators Extend Clawback Rules for Bankers’ Pay
New York Times 06/23/2015
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 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
Protecting German taxpayers in eurozone bailouts- German chancellor Merkel and how she called the bluffs of European banks in 2011 and Cyprus in 2013
12/30/2011
Linked Articles
Wall Street Journal 03/26/2013
Deepening Crisis Over Euro Pits Leader Against Leader
Wall Street Journal 12/30/2011
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