Rajoy shouldn’t fear Spain’s diversity, but its messy economics
In the latest national opinion survey, Spaniards told the Rajoy government to close the nationalism front and weigh in with all resources to sort out the economy.
In Europe
A definitive solution to the eurozone: follow the US tracks
Deficit per GDP reduction in cold blood increases the debt per GDP ratio. We have been there, already. The sensible thing to do is to finance economic growth to shorten the deficit, even if it prolongs for a certain period the increase of debt.
Spain needs assistance, rather than financial bailout
Spain needs technical but also political assistance to redress the hesitant and often deficient action of the current government. Even if backed by an overall majority in Parliament, the government seems unable to offer a solvent alternative.
Mario Monti, the fake pretender
If Mario Monti achieves his goal and sits again as the prime minister of Italy, the message sent to the rest of the periphery will be one of great uncertainty and suspicion: lack of democracy and national accountability will not spark popular support to reforms, but most probably the opposite.
Ireland would grow further if fiscal cuts were less harsh, says Barclays
Although Ireland’s economy seems to be improving, Barclays warned that fiscal adjustments hit employment figures and disposable income.
Contained prices in the euro area
Inflation in the euro area falls by 0.1 percentage points to 2.5% year-on-year. CaixaBank analysts predict a downward slide in inflation over the coming months.
Eurozone’s Banking Union: it’s Germany versus all the others
A eurozone’s press review of the coverage about the banking union project gives a crystal picture of the mess: the division is growing between Germany’s position and the rest of its currency area partners.
Eurozone’s global trade in goods obtains surplus of €10.2bn
Concerning the total trade of member states, the largest surplus was observed in Germany, followed by the Netherlands and Ireland. The United Kingdom registered the largest deficit.
Euroland’s inability to deliver growth
The austerity trap. That’s the price to pay for an asymmetric scheme that fails to impose any discipline on those, like Germany, equipped with comfortable margins of manoeuvre for increasing their domestic demand.
No federal Europe at sight
PARIS | Angela Merkel is entering an election period and wants to avoid the slightest risk, while François Hollande fears nothing more than reopening old wounds in his majority government. End of the federal Europe road?