euro|topics - TEMA DESTACADO

Speculation about Athens' euro exit | 25.05.2012

Fri, 25 May 2012 15:00:00 +0100

The EU heads of state and government are apparently set on keeping Greece in the Eurozone, provided it adheres to the austerity policy. But exiting the euro makes more sense in the long term than following the troika's austerity dictates, some commentators maintain. Others fear an exit will be the end of the European dream.

EU puts off solving the crisis | 24.05.2012

Thu, 24 May 2012 15:00:00 +0100

The EU special summit on Wednesday failed to reach definitive results, and the debate over euro bonds was put off until the end of June. The common EU bonds are the perfect complement to Europe's austerity policies, some commentators maintain, while others stress that crisis countries must above all focus on becoming competitive once more.

Conflict over euro bonds divides EU | 23.05.2012

Wed, 23 May 2012 15:00:00 +0100

At the EU special summit to be held this evening in Brussels France's President François Hollande will call for the introduction of euro bonds, which German Chancellor Angela Merkel rejects outright. But without a Franco-German axis the EU will only slip deeper into political crisis, commentators fear.

Europe worried about change of government in Serbia | 22.05.2012

Tue, 22 May 2012 15:00:00 +0100

The nationalist Tomislav Nikolić won a surprise victory against current pro-European President Boris Tadić in Serbia's presidential election on Sunday. Nikolić's victory means the country's past is catching up with it, commentators write, fearing a major setback for EU enlargement.

G8 recommend austerity and growth for Europe | 21.05.2012

Mon, 21 May 2012 15:00:00 +0100

Representatives of the G8 states met at the US retreat Camp David on Saturday to discuss the European debt crisis among other topics. They recommended both budget-balancing measures and government growth programmes. Angela Merkel's new adversaries are François Hollande and Barack Obama, commentators write, diagnosing above all a sense of bafflement among summit participants.

Facebook's record IPO | 18.05.2012

Fri, 18 May 2012 15:00:00 +0100

Shares in the world's leading online network Facebook will be traded for the first time on the Nasdaq stock market on Friday in the biggest-ever initial public offering of a technology company. Commentators warn of a gigantic speculation bubble and criticise the financial world for not having learned from past crises.

Greece poised for new elections | 16.05.2012

Wed, 16 May 2012 15:00:00 +0100

The formation of an expert government in Greece failed on Tuesday, prompting President Karolos Paoulias to call new elections for June. According to commentators, the elections will effectively be a referendum on whether Greece stays in the Eurozone unless Syriza boss and anti-austerity politician Alexis Tsipras finally decides to make some compromises.

Athens to keep the euro | 15.05.2012

Tue, 15 May 2012 15:00:00 +0100

The Euro Group finance ministers met on Monday in Brussels to discuss crisis-stricken Greece and spoke out against Greece exiting the Eurozone. But Greece's withdrawal could help the country's economy back on its feet, some commentators say, while others fear the move would have a domino effect on other ailing economies in southern Europe.

SPD triumphs over Merkel's CDU | 14.05.2012

Mon, 14 May 2012 15:00:00 +0100

The Social Democrats (SPD) have won a clear victory in the election of the new parliament in the German state of North Rhine-Westphalia with 39.1 of the vote. With just 26.3 percent Merkel's Christian Democratic Party (CDU) had its worst ever result in this key state. The election is a blow for Angela Merkel and endangers her austerity policy, some commentators write, while others believe the chancellor will emerge unscathed from the debacle.

Hope for new government in Greece | 11.05.2012

Fri, 11 May 2012 15:00:00 +0100

The Democratic Left party in Greece has signalled its willingness to enter a coalition with Pasok and Nea Dimokratia during preliminary discussions. The parties all agree that the country should remain in the Eurozone. While some commentators welcome the consensus, others see a Greek exit as the better solution.