Venizelos, Evangelos, (2016), “State Transformation and the European Integration Project: Lessons from the financial crisis and the Greek paradigm”, Ceps, 4 February The financial crisis that erupted in the eurozone not only affected the EU’s financial governance mechanisms, but also the very nature of state sovereignty and balances in the relations of member states; thus, the actual inequalities between the member states hidden behind their institutional equality have deteriorated. This …Read More
Greek pension reform once again: Explaining its logic and issues
Tinios, Platon, (2016), “Greek pension reform once again: Explaining its logic and issues”, Briefing Note, LSE, 15 January Pension reform is, once again, the main issue in Greek political discussion. It returns only months after all retirement ages rose to 67 in the summer of 2015. There have been at least three major pension reforms and at least ten pension cuts since 2010. All this frantic activity apparently fails on …Read More
Greek Pensions Crisis: The Last Act of the Greek Tragedy
Iakovidis, Michael , Mahoney, Daniel , Knox, Tim, (2016), “Greek Pensions Crisis: The Last Act of the Greek Tragedy”, Center for Policy Studies, 14 Ιανουαρίου The Greek pensions system, after decades of political exploitation, state interference and crony capitalism, is close to collapse. The system has been plagued by an unsustainable worker to pensioner ratio, endemic corruption along with major financial losses on investments in Greek banks and Government bonds. To sustain the …Read More
Greece: a European tragedy
Mody, Ashoka, (2016), “Greece: a European tragedy”, Bruegel publications, 14 January Wrapped up in the details of pension reforms and home foreclosure—matters that, no doubt, have important consequences for many— the big picture has faded into the background. It is easy to forget how we got here, and where we are going. Relevant Posts Varoufakis, Yanis, (2016), “Greece’s Two Currencies”, Social Europe, 8 January Arkolakis, Costas, Galenianos, Manolis, (2015), “The challenge of trade adjustment …Read More
Greece budget update – October
Merler, Sylvia, (2015), “Greece budget update – October”, Bruegel publications, 19 October While it has to be stressed that the targets considered in the budget execution bulletins are still those from the old 2015 budget (not the new targets under the new programme), this development is nevertheless an interesting reversal of previous tendencies. Relevant Posts Merler, Sylvia, (2015), “Greece budget update – September”, Bruegel publications, 22 September Merler, Sylvia, (2015), “Greece budget …Read More
The Greek elections and the third bailout programme: Why it could work this time round
Alcidi, Cinzia, Gros, Daniel, (2015), “The Greek elections and the third bailout programme: Why it could work this time round”, Ceps publications, 21 September Following the decisive victory won by the Syriza party in Greece’s general election on September 20th, this commentary explores the key question of whether the third bailout programme can work, where the previous two programmes failed. Whereas most observers argue that the third one cannot work because it merely …Read More
Greek elections: How Syriza managed to sign a bailout agreement yet retain its support base
Kiapidou, Nikoleta, (2015)), “Greek elections: How Syriza managed to sign a bailout agreement yet retain its support base”, LSE blog, 24 September On 20 September, the Greek people were asked to vote in a general election for the fourth time since 2009, after Prime Minister and Syriza leader Alexis Tsipras resigned on 20 August. Mr Tsipras’ resignation came after only seven months in office and was prompted by the rebellion …Read More
Could there be political contagion from Greece?
Ruparel, Raoul, (2015), “Could there be political contagion from Greece?”, Open Europe blog, 21 July As the dust settles following the latest agreement between Greece and its creditors it is worth stepping back and examining what it, along with Syriza’s time in office so far, might mean for other peripheral countries and other rising populist parties in Europe. Raoul Ruparel looks at the potential for political contagion. Relevant Posts Slaughter, …Read More
Why Greeks voted the way they did in the bailout referendum
Jurado, Ignacio, Konstantinidis, Nikitas, Walter, Stefanie, (2015), “Why Greeks voted the way they did in the bailout referendum”, LSE blog, 20 July The recent ‘Greferendum’ on a draft bailout proposal submitted by the European Commission highlights the confounding effects of economic and political interdependence on democratic politics. Whereas the British electorate will be given up to two years in order to deliberate and decide over British membershipin the EU (having already opted out …Read More
Five Lessons on Greece
Dabrowski, Marek, (2015), “Five Lessons on Greece”, Bruegel publications, 17 July The agreement reached at the Eurosummit in the early hours of on July 13[1] marks yet another dramatic turning point in the five-year history of attempts to avoid Greece’s sovereign default and its potential exit from the euro area. It is too early to say whether it will be successful or not. Many important details such as fiscal targets, …Read More