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Election Heralds Power Shift in Alliance With Germany
Keywords:
Italy's prime minister, Mario Monti put it best when he said in a speech in Brussels in April 2012: "If a country becomes more productive and competitive, but there is no demand for its products domestically or around it, growth will not materialize." There is a new shift in opinion towards a balance of fiscal discipline with growth measures to get Europe back on track. The feeling in different parts of Europe is that the German view of austerity alone will not work for Europe. And the view is coming from the far right to the far left, from Marie Le Pen, far right presidential candidate in France, to the far right leader whose move to withdraw support to the government in Netherlands on the issue of austerity measures led to its collapse. Geert Wilders, leader of the Freedom Party in the Netherlands, said: "we don't want our pensioners to bleed just to meet the dictates from Brussels." The IMF has put out research that questions what is now called "the German hypothesis." The "German hypothesis," is based on the unique experience of Germany with the Hartz reforms under chancellor Schroeder which were based on wage restraint by workers, the German "kurzarbeit" program of government support for retaining workers with lower pay during cyclical downturns, improving competitiveness of German companies, and conservative budget practices. There appear to be two exceptions to this. One is that demand has to be strong outside or domestically for a country to reduce unemployment and improve productive capacity utlilization as it increases competitiveness. This was the case as Germany made the Hartz reforms under Schroeder. Wage restraint acts as a form of devaluing currency for reducing the cost of its products to improve exports. All leading parties and the unions are now in favor of wage restraint and lowering wages to preserve jobs to improve France's competitive position. Germany had the benefit of a decade to implement these reforms to reduce unemployment, because demand was not declining domestically or around it during its reforms. The situation is different in Spain where in all likelihood demand would shrink further with unemployment rising from 25% to higher levels, and higher sales taxes. This is why Francois Heisbourg, special advisor at the Paris based Foundation for Strategic Research, says about the current situation in Europe, that destroyiing Greece with strict austerity alone wasn't something the EU can look back at with the sense of having done the right thing, for Spain it appears misguided and lacking careful thought. The editors of the Wall Street Journal expressed the same sense when they described the March 2012 bailout of Greece as a tragic sideshow, because the main purpose was to buy time and insulate the other larger economies in the EU by giving the French, Spanish and German banks time to improve their financial position. The Journal called it bad for Greece leaving it with debt at 120% of GDP till 2020 and no economic growth, and bad for democracy as it was done against overwhelming Greek public opinion- The Tragic Greek Sideshow, Feb. 22, 2012. Volker Perthes, director of the German Institute for International and Security Affairs, a Berlin think tank, says the Germans have always viewed German leadership in Europe with discomfort, and would prefer a leadership where several states, France, Italy, Spain, and other countries in the EU coalesce around consensus positions. This is historically true for the German position since chancellor Adenauer. With the Free Democrats in decline, and the Social Democrats and the Pirate party doing well in recent German elections and favoring consensus in Europe, Merkel's Christian Democrats need to rethink their policy to give greater weight to economic growth for a consensus position in Europe.
The movement towards a growth compact for the EU after the presidential election in France in April 2012
05/03/2012
Mario Monti put it best when he said he could visualize a situation where a country has improved its competiiveness and fiscal balance but cannot find consumers to buy its goods.
Grouped Articles
Italian Prime Ministerâs Political Acrobatics
New York Times 04/28/2013
Election Heralds Power Shift in Alliance With Germany
Wall Street Journal 05/03/2012
French presidential campaign ends with Sarkozy trailing - The Washington Post
Washington Post 05/06/2012
Europe Moving Toward Small Steps to Promote Growth
New York Times 05/10/2012
In test for Europe, Ireland votes on fiscal treaty - The Washington Post
Washington Post 05/31/2012
Amid crisis, leaders of Germany, France, Italy and Spain meet in Rome - The Washington Post
Washington Post 06/22/2012
Austerity measures facing European countries in 2011-2013
11/13/2011
Grouped Articles
German Election Overturns Political Order
Wall Street Journal 09/23/2013
New York Times 11/03/2013
The 'Silent Austerity' in Banking
Wall Street Journal 01/21/2014
How Righteousness Killed the World Economy
New York Times 10/12/2014
New York Times 11/30/2014
Austerity in Europe Brings Bitterness Unknown in Postwar Era
New York Times 11/13/2011
France's economy in 2010-2014
06/23/2010
The determination in France, as in Britain, to take austerity measures, and to cut the deficit.
Grouped Articles
France Goes Against the Euro-Zone Flow
Wall Street Journal 04/18/2013
Europe to Vote on Tougher Rules for Currency
New York Times 09/27/2011
France Says It Will Miss Budget Deficit Targets
Wall Street Journal 09/12/2013
German Optimism Depends On Spanish Deficits
Wall Street Journal 09/25/2013
S.&P. Downgrade Deals Blow to French Government
New York Times 11/08/2013
Euro Zone Deficit Hits Target for First Time Since 2008
New York Times 04/23/2014
Greece's austerity measures and why the cuts hit lower paid workers the most
02/13/2012
Grouped Articles
Greece’s prescription for a health-care crisis - The Washington Post
Washington Post 02/22/2014
Greek Patience With Austerity Nears Its Limit
New York Times 12/29/2014
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
Greek leaders’ priorities questioned - The Washington Post
Washington Post 02/19/2012
New York Times 02/13/2012
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
Ireland's austerity measures and banking crisis.
04/03/2009
Grouped Articles
In Ireland, Hope of Retroactive Relief
Wall Street Journal 06/29/2012
Ireland Faces Seventh Year of Austerity
Wall Street Journal 10/16/2013
Hardships Linger for a Mending Ireland
New York Times 12/11/2013
New York Times 04/03/2009
Support of Anglo Irish Bank Strains Ireland
New York Times 08/31/2010
Ireland Faces Battle Over Europe Stability Treaty
New York Times 05/01/2012
Poverty and hardship in Ireland after austerity measures by the government in 2010
01/04/2009
Grouped Articles
The New Generation Leaving Ireland
BusinessWeek 02/11/2010
Ireland Faces Seventh Year of Austerity
Wall Street Journal 10/16/2013
New York Times 04/03/2009
Ireland Faces Battle Over Europe Stability Treaty
New York Times 05/01/2012
Irish Cutbacks Pile It on for 'New Poor'
Wall Street Journal 11/27/2010
Ireland's new government: Enda the party
Economist 03/05/2011
Greece's austerity measures, politics and the 2012 elections
07/26/2011
The prospects of combined vote of 30-35% for the two major political parties of Samaras and Venizelos with the rest of the vote splintered among extreme right and left wing parties, in the the 2012 Greece elections.
Grouped Articles
Frenemies: Two Greek Rivals Hold Nation's Fate in Balance
Wall Street Journal 07/26/2011
New York Times 06/23/2013
Fractious Greek Government Splits
Wall Street Journal 06/25/2013
Greece Wanted to Reframe Europe’s Austerity Debate. It Failed.
New York Times 07/01/2015
Greece's Fringe Parties Surge Amid Bailout Ire
Wall Street Journal 03/28/2012
In Greece, austerity kindles deep discontent - The Washington Post
Washington Post 03/31/2012
Krugman and other experts on the decision of the government of Ireland to guarantee all the debt of its runaway banks.
08/31/2010
This decision has burdened the Irish people with the debt that banks incurred in a burst of speculative frenzy in real estate. This was possible as bankers were working together with politicians and developers. German and British banks made poor lending decisions and loaned money freely to Irish banks. Banks should share in these losses but the decision of the Irish government has put the burden on the people of Ireland, with a third year of severe austerity cuts in the face of a 14% unemployment rate. The investigation into Anglo Irish Bank.
Grouped Articles
In Ireland, Hope of Retroactive Relief
Wall Street Journal 06/29/2012
Support of Anglo Irish Bank Strains Ireland
New York Times 08/31/2010
New York Times 11/25/2010
The Road to Economic Crisis Is Paved With Euros
New York Times 01/12/2011
Europe Needs to Apportion Pain
Wall Street Journal 03/17/2011
Tests Show Irish Banks Still Ailing
New York Times 03/30/2011
The 2010 austerity budget and the European financial crisis affecting Spain.
05/13/2010
The contagion effect affecting Spain after Greece and Portugal similar to the manner in which the Asian financial crisis spread during a prior decade.
Grouped Articles
New Spanish Budget Free of Austerity Measures
New York Times 09/27/2013
Saying No to Austerity, Spain Unveils Tax Cuts
New York Times 06/20/2014
Spain is simply shifting the problem
Wall Street Journal 05/14/2010
Amid Europe's challenges, citizens face lifestyle shifts
Wall Street Journal 05/14/2010
French Cracks Are Showing in Euro-Zone Core
Wall Street Journal 05/13/2010
Wall Street Journal 05/13/2010
The IMF's changing views on the value of austerity measures and the "German hypothesis"
04/05/2009
The IMF's economic models suggest that it would take 5 years for the breakeven point at which the economic benefits of austerity measures start exceeding the costs of the measures in declining GDP and higher unemployment. The German view is that this can occur in the short term.
Grouped Articles
Policy âTroikaâ for Europe Financial Woes at Odds
New York Times 06/07/2013
German Election Overturns Political Order
Wall Street Journal 09/23/2013
Known for Tight Spending, I.M.F. May Have to Loosen Reins After G-20 Windfall
New York Times 04/05/2009
Germany Considers Remedies for Slowing Growth
Wall Street Journal 10/08/2014
Merkel Hints at Economic Policy Shift in Germany
New York Times 10/09/2014
How Righteousness Killed the World Economy
New York Times 10/12/2014
The focus on competitiveness by economists, credit ratings agencies, and European leaders as austerity measures alone won't work
02/05/2011
Mario Monti focusses on the need for investing in the economy in an interview with German newspaper Die Welt during a January 2011 visit to Berlin. S&P economists and Nobel winner Stiglitz also emphasize this after a downgrade of France's credit rating- the need for improved competitiveness for the economies of France, Spain Portugal and Italy.
Grouped Articles
New York Times 09/25/2011
Wall Street Journal 05/29/2013
The Next First (and Only) 100 Days
New York Times 12/10/2011
A Proud Nation Ponders How to Halt Its Slow Decline
New York Times 08/24/2013
After a Recession in Portugal, the Tiny Green Fruits of Success
New York Times 08/28/2013
France Says It Will Miss Budget Deficit Targets
Wall Street Journal 09/12/2013
The impact of austerity measures on various parts of Britain.
07/03/2010
Impact of the Cameron government spending cuts across the UK.
Grouped Articles
U.K. Politicians Vie to Address Fall in Living Standards
Wall Street Journal 11/18/2013
British Towns and Institutions Reel From First Austerity Cuts
New York Times 08/09/2010
Radical Britain: The unlikely revolutionary
Economist 08/14/2010
As the Working Poor Become More Common in Britain, So Does Hunger
New York Times 01/02/2014
U-Turn in the U.K.: Big Spending Cuts
Wall Street Journal 10/14/2010
Jack Monroe Has Become Britain’s Austerity Celebrity
New York Times 01/14/2014
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
Britain's perilous path with austerity cuts, inflation and lower economic growth- 2011-2015
06/22/2010
Grouped Articles
The economy: On a wing and a credit card
Economist 07/08/2013
U.K. Moves To Tackle Income Squeeze
Wall Street Journal 08/20/2013
The Curious Case of Britain's Economic Recovery
Wall Street Journal 10/21/2013
U.K. Politicians Vie to Address Fall in Living Standards
Wall Street Journal 11/18/2013
U.K. Government Prepares For Deep Budget Cuts
Wall Street Journal 06/22/2010
British Towns and Institutions Reel From First Austerity Cuts
New York Times 08/09/2010
France's austerity plans and pension reform 2010-2014
06/16/2010
Grouped Articles
New York Times 11/10/2013
Hard times force French to work longer -- to age 62
Washington Post 06/16/2010
France's Lagarde Forecasts Austerity
Wall Street Journal 06/23/2010
French Unions Protest Pension-Age Overhaul
Wall Street Journal 09/08/2010
French Senate Passes Pension Bill
New York Times 10/22/2010
French Cabinet Is Dissolved, a Victim of Austerity Battles
New York Times 08/25/2014
Faces of recession battered Greece as new austerity programs are adopted by the government
06/28/2011
Grouped Articles
EU Dismisses IMF's Criticism On Greek Bailout
Wall Street Journal 06/07/2013
New York Times 11/03/2013
Greece’s prescription for a health-care crisis - The Washington Post
Washington Post 02/22/2014
Across Athens, Graffiti Worth a Thousand Words of Malaise
New York Times 04/15/2014
Greek Patience With Austerity Nears Its Limit
New York Times 12/29/2014
Greece’s new prime minister wants Germany to pay for Nazi war crimes - The Washington Post
Washington Post 01/26/2015
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
Italy's 2013 budget and deficits
05/14/2010
The impact on economic growth of austerity measures.
Grouped Articles
Italy Urged to Resist a Relapse in Spending
Wall Street Journal 05/03/2013
Europe to Vote on Tougher Rules for Currency
New York Times 09/27/2011
Wall Street Journal 05/14/2010
Euro Zone Deficit Hits Target for First Time Since 2008
New York Times 04/23/2014
EU Won’t Reject French, Italian Budgets
Wall Street Journal 10/28/2014
European Union Blinks in Budget Battle With Italy and France
New York Times 10/28/2014
Portugal's austerity measures and the financial crisis 2010-2015
09/27/2010
Collapse of the government in Portugal in 2011, after failing to win support for further austerity measures.
Grouped Articles
Wall Street Journal 05/03/2013
Portugal Returns to Bond Market
Wall Street Journal 05/08/2013
Portugal Plans Cuts in Spending
Wall Street Journal 05/30/2013
Portugal's Government Thrust Into Turmoil
Wall Street Journal 07/03/2013
Lisbon Cabinet Shuffle Buoys Junior Coalition Party Leader
Wall Street Journal 07/08/2013
Portugalâs President Calls for Early Elections
New York Times 07/11/2013
The 2012 austerity budget in Spain under prime minister Mariano Rajoy
03/30/2012
Grouped Articles
Still Sputtering, Spain Turns Away From Cuts
Wall Street Journal 05/12/2013
German Election Overturns Political Order
Wall Street Journal 09/23/2013
Spain Emerges From Recession but Sees More Austerity Ahead
Wall Street Journal 09/23/2013
New Spanish Budget Free of Austerity Measures
New York Times 09/27/2013
Saying No to Austerity, Spain Unveils Tax Cuts
New York Times 06/20/2014
How Righteousness Killed the World Economy
New York Times 10/12/2014
Romania's austerity measures 2009-2013
02/07/2012
Grouped Articles
Favorite Concedes Presidency in Romania
New York Times 11/16/2014
Protests Drive Out Romania Premier
Wall Street Journal 02/07/2012
Austerity Debate a Matter of Degree
Wall Street Journal 02/17/2012
New York Times 02/19/2012
New York Times 04/26/2012
Vote in Romania Fells Government
Wall Street Journal 04/28/2012
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
The IMF comes out on Spain's side in 2012 saying deficit reduction should have taken into account the weaker economic outlook
09/27/2011
The IMF in April 2012 says cuts in Spain may be too severe and cautioned that austerity measures could push Europe into recession.
Grouped Articles
Still Sputtering, Spain Turns Away From Cuts
Wall Street Journal 05/12/2013
Europe to Vote on Tougher Rules for Currency
New York Times 09/27/2011
German Optimism Depends On Spanish Deficits
Wall Street Journal 09/25/2013
The 'Silent Austerity' in Banking
Wall Street Journal 01/21/2014
Euro Zone Deficit Hits Target for First Time Since 2008
New York Times 04/23/2014
Saying No to Austerity, Spain Unveils Tax Cuts
New York Times 06/20/2014
U.S. austerity measures and faces of people in Maine
11/28/2011
Grouped Articles
Federal Cuts Give Maine a Chill as Winter Approaches
New York Times 11/28/2011
OECD report cites rising income inequality - The Washington Post
Washington Post 12/06/2011
New York Times 04/26/2012
Dutch Government Moves Ahead on Austerity Plan
Wall Street Journal 04/28/2012
Election Heralds Power Shift in Alliance With Germany
Wall Street Journal 05/03/2012
World leaders agree on more spending to boost Europe’s economy - The Washington Post
Washington Post 05/20/2012
Strikes and labor protest in Britain over austerity measures 2011-2012
08/14/2010
Grouped Articles
U.K.'s Labour Party Moves Back Toward Socialist Ideas
Wall Street Journal 09/25/2013
U.K. Politicians Vie to Address Fall in Living Standards
Wall Street Journal 11/18/2013
Radical Britain: The unlikely revolutionary
Economist 08/14/2010
Universities in Britain Brace for Cuts in Subsidies
New York Times 10/15/2010
Britain Details Radical Spending Cuts, Citing Debt
New York Times 10/20/2010
New York Times 10/21/2010
Why the March 2012 Greece bailout protects the EU, but is bad for Greece and for democracy
06/30/2011
Nothing to be proud of, says the Journal in its editorial on Feb. 29, 2012. For Greece the terms leave no hope for a return to growth, and that the two political parties in Greece were required to pledge their support for austerity measures against overwhelming public opposition in Athens says little for democracy. It would have been better for Greece to go into a planned default 2 years ago with steeper haircuts for European banks and reducing Greece's debt to a manageable level lower than the over 120% of GDP in 2020 of the March 2012 bailout plan, says the Journal.
Grouped Articles
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
New York Times 11/03/2013
Wall Street Journal 03/12/2012
Greece’s new prime minister wants Germany to pay for Nazi war crimes - The Washington Post
Washington Post 01/26/2015
Mirage of Economic Turnaround Masked New Greek Crisis in the Making
Wall Street Journal 07/05/2015
Greece, Europe and the Austerity measures- "a swimmer underwater who needs to be able to take a breath" (1)
05/03/2012
Austerity measures alone cannot address the financial problems in the eurozone countries of Greece, Ireland, Portugal, Spain and Italy. The need to create opportunities for economic growth.
Linked Articles
Election Heralds Power Shift in Alliance With Germany
Wall Street Journal 05/03/2012
France Reassures Greece on Euro Zone Membership
New York Times 08/25/2012
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