The recent victory of the leftist party Syriza and the defiant attitude of its Government towards its lenders (EU, BCI and IMF, the so called troika) has thrust Greece into the headlines once again. Here we look at the numbers (from Eurostat, 2013), the problems and the negotiation alternatives of both sides – the Greek […]
Greece: Citizens and Debt
Syriza’s victory was received as a victory for Europe’s generous and compassionate South, versus the stingy and vengeful North. We have no way of knowing if the South would have behaved better than the North if it had found itself in the role of creditor, nor are we entirely certain that the “slap in the […]
We don’t understand the Greeks
Everyone is uneasy about the electoral victory of Syriza in Greece and the threat of populism in Europe. The media has been buzzing for days now with comments and analysis, largely talking about what Syriza should do, what should be done by the European Union, Germany, the International Monetary Fund… the consequences of the policies […]
Draghi Deploys the ECB’s Full Artillery? A Reaction
The best commentary came from the Spanish daily Expansión. They gave us nine pages on Draghi’s measures and a headline from a statement made by Francisco González, president of BBVA: “” (note – I added the “all” to that statement). Draghi was already talking, a few months ago, of measures that needed to be taken in […]
After the Stress Test: Lending in Times of Uncertainty
European banks have just made it through the latest round of stress tests. But now what? Will lending make a come back? Looking toward the future, do these tests really guarantee a clean bill of health? These are just a few of the questions that many people are asking themselves. But really, one question sums […]
