Kirkegaard Funk, Jacob, (2013), “Portugal’s Political Crisis”, www.piie.com, 3 Ιουλίου. A political crisis has suddenly erupted in Portugal, spurred by deep divisions in the government of Prime Minister Pedro Passos Coelho, aggravated by years of austerity and bleak economic forecasts. The political turmoil has rattled financial markets and raised doubts about Portugal’s ability to recover from its long slump.Yet deteriorating economic fundamentals in Portugal did not cause this crisis. Political …Read More

Παγουλάτος, Γιώργος (2013), “Η έλευση του ιππικού και το φίδι του σωβινισμού”, Η Καθημερινή, 30 Μαΐου. Πριν από μερικές μέρες, η καγκελάριος Μέρκελ ρωτήθηκε για την κατάσταση στην Ουγγαρία, όπου η κυβέρνηση του πρωθυπουργού Ορμπάν έχει αποδοκιμαστεί ευρύτατα από πλειάδα Ευρωπαίων ηγετών για αντιδημοκρατικές πρακτικές φίμωσης του Τύπου, περιορισμού ατομικών ελευθεριών και επιθετικού εθνικισμού και αντισημιτισμού. «Θα κάνουμε ό,τι μπορούμε για να βάλουμε την Ουγγαρία στον σωστό δρόμο, αλλά δεν θα …Read More

Tzogopoulos, George (2013), “Propping up teetering Europe necessary for China’s own interests”, Global Times, 16 Μαΐου. The European debt crisis is a significant challenge for China. There’s the risk for Beijing’s export-dependent economy and the threat to China’s attempt to achieve a successful diversification of its currency reserves. But perhaps the most important problem is that a potential disintegration of the European common currency area might have dramatic consequences on …Read More

Barysch, Katinka, (2013), “Is the euro crisis responsible for populism?” , Centre for European Reform, 19 Απριλίου. Populists and extremists are on the rise across Europe. Even Germany is now seeing the rise of a eurosceptic party. The euro crisis is the reason for growing political risk in the eurozone. Or is it? True, populist parties are more important in several euro countries. But the reasons for this are manifold …Read More

Mueller , Jan-Werner, (2013),  “Europe’s Political Stress Tests” , www.project-syndicate.org, 4 Απριλίου. In recent years, the European Union – or, more accurately, the powerful countries of northern Europe – has been subjecting its weaker members to social and political “stress tests” in the name of fiscal rectitude. As a result, southern Europe and parts of Eastern Europe have become a kind of political laboratory, with experiments producing strikingly varied – …Read More

Brady, Hugo, (2013), “The EU’s Rubik’s cube: Who will lead after 2014?”, Centre for European Reform, 3 Απριλίου. Next year, EU leaders will decide who will succeed Herman Van Rompuy, José Manuel Barroso and Catherine Ashton as, respectively, the next president of the European Council, president of the European Commission and high representative for foreign affairs. These (no doubt) excruciating deliberations will begin in earnest after the European Parliament (EP) …Read More

Bovi, Maurizio, (2013), “Realism, austerity or demagogy? Evidence from Italy”, www.voxeu.org, 20 Μαρτίου. How do everyday Italians feel about their economic prospects? How are political reactions related to economic events? This column presents evidence suggesting that Italians are becoming disillusioned. Comparing Berlusconi’s and Monti’s resignation, sentiment was more positive after Belusconi’s. Rather than a test on Italian citizens’ realism or on their views on austerity, recent political elections should instead …Read More