Money market on strike

By: Casper de Vries (Erasmus University Rotterdam) and Jon Danielsson (LSE)

A proposal on how to address information asymmetry.

The case against a Grand Coalition in 2009

By: Wolfgang Münchau

Forget all this hogwash about the responsibility of the cenrtre. Grand coalitions are undemocratic.

Commission warns about centrifugal forces in euro area

Almunia wants to widen the finance ministers’ policy agenda beyond fiscal coordination; Europe is suffering from severe supply shortages of Russian gas; the euro tumbles as market expect interest rates to fall much faster; Germany’s plan to introduce a €100bn fund to help industrial companies through the crisis; the oil price, meanwhile, is back above $50bp.

The global euro needs stronger institutions

By: Wolfgang Münchau

Institutions matter. They create their own agendas. Nobody knows this better than the European Commission itself.

The death of German corporatism

By: Wolfgang Munchau

It was always clear that German corporatism would not survive the first half of the 21st century. What was less clear was how long this process would last and which form its destruction would take. Two important events last week greatly accelerated that process.

Some thoughts about Berlusconi

By: Wolfgang Münchau

Berlusconi will almost certainly win the elections, but that does not necessarily mean he will be the next PM.

Good news from Italy

By: Wolfgang Münchau

Paradoxically, the current crisis may turn out to be the best thing that has happened to the country in years.