In the last five years, Piraeus Bank has lost 97% of its value and Eurobank (indeed, an apt name) an astounding 99.8% of the value. Their market value is currently five times lower that the market value of the Uber company. However, the Stock Exchange has not reached the historic low of the year 2012.
Earlier this week, the world witnessed two deals sealed by international powers: on Greece’s future in the European Union and on Iran’s future in the world. Both deals will have their political and social costs and profits, winners and losers.
Much has been written on the reasons for the rise and fall or right-wing populist parties in Western Europe, as the French Front National (FN) or the United Kingdom Independence Party (UKIP). However, most of these commentaries are not based on empirical research. The presented overview highlights the seven factors which comparative research defines as decisive for the electoral fortunes of right-wing populist parties in Western Europe.
Walter Krämer, a professor of statistics, found out that the OECD had produced the statistical nonsense of the month: According to a recent study published in May 2015 the topmost 10% of all German employees earn 6.6 times more than the undermost 10%.
The activating labour market reforms of the German government at the beginning of the 21st century (Agenda 2010) were considered to be successful in reducing unemployment, especially long-term unemployment. But the majority of the media and also the majority of the German population consider this reform as socially unfair. While long-term unemployment fell from 1.7 to now under one million, people still believe, Hartz IV made Germany poorer. A new empirical study tells a different…
Merkel’s criticism of Orbán’s domestic politics came through clearly via independent media. The visit made it very clear how far Orbán is from the mainstream European opinion on issues of democracy and rule of law.
A former head of SPD, Matthias Platzeck, suggests the Western countries shall recognize the Crimea annexation by the means of backwards regulation on the level of international law.
Stupidity doesn’t characterise only boorish youngsters, whereas parochialism and outdated views are quite often problems of elderly men. All the above-mentioned characteristics constitute Alexander Gauland’s problem.
With Germany at long last imposing a nation-wide wage floor, the country’s slowly conforming to the rest of Europe. Come the crisis and the erstwhile ‘Sick Man of Europe’ became the continent’s economic valedictorian. Extremely low (for European standards) unemployment rate cemented the make-believe caprice that it would work.
Clueless looks of politicians will be once again drawn to the ECB. In addition to reports on starting recession, they are supported also by the legend of deflationary spiral that regularly emerges from monetary depths to destroy the shoots of economic success.
