The euro debate

Popular support for the euro

Roth and al. analysed the support for the euro for an EA-19 country sample over the 19-year period from 1999 to 2017 and found that there is a negative relationship between unemployment and inflation perceptions and public support for the euro. In addition, their results indicate that the probability for highly educated (20+) citizens to support the euro is significantly higher than those with lower education.

Revisiting Public Support for the Euro, 1999-2017: Accounting for the Crisis and the Recovery
Authors: Felix Roth, Edgar Baake, Lars Jonung, Felicitas Nowak-Lehmann
From: University of Hamburg, Lund University, University of Göttingen

The way forward

Xavier Ragot summarizes the ideas presented in two conferences on the euro that took place in Berlin in March 2018. His conclusion:

The possibility of a renewal of thought that transcended political divisions and spoke about what was essential came to light: how could the economy be placed at the service of a political project that aims not to rebuild borders to exclude but to imagine our common humanity?

How can Europe be saved? How can the paradigm be changed?
By: Xavier Ragot – OFCE

The reforms

The proposal “Reconciling risk sharing with market discipline: A constructive approach to euro area reform” written by 14 French and German economists was published in January 2018. Since then many economists have opined on its feasibility and effectiveness. Sylvia Merler discusses the main criticisms put forth by Wolff, Micossi, Bini-Smaghi and Dullien.
The debate on euro-area reform
By: Sylvia Merler – Bruegel