EU leaders are making plans for a Greek exit from the euro, even as Prime Minister George Papandreou scrambles to garner support for the new EU rescue package and tougher austerity measures.
Though Standard and Poor's ranks Greece as the world's lowest-rated economy, calling into question the eurozone's future, economist Iain Begg says the debt crisis will paradoxically have the effect of deepening EU integration.
European Union Commissioner for Economic and Monetary Affairs Olli Rehn expects negotiations on a new Greek aid plan between the EU, IMF, and Greek government will conclude "in the coming days," ahead of the EU finance ministers' meeting scheduled for June 20.
European Union Commissioner for Economic and Monetary Affairs Olli Rehn says French Finance Minister Christine Lagarde "would make a very good managing director of the IMF for the whole world, not only for Europe." "The European Union and its member states see that Christine Lagarde, the finance minister of France, has very strong professional qualifications and has earned the respect of her peers as the chairperson of the G20," Rehn said.
European politicians are worried about managing fiscal stabilization, but strict spending limits could destroy what little is left of the EU's political legitimacy.
Mohamed El-Erian, chief executive and co-chief investment officer of PIMCO, writes in the Financial Times that the package of emergency loans to Ireland will not significantly change the economic landscape of Europe.
For all the success of German reunification, it left behind fateful seeds that sprouted into the current eurozone crisis. To overcome the current downturn, Europe should finish the job started two decades ago and retrofit the European Union with stronger political institutions, writes Mary Elise Sarotte in Foreign Affairs.
German Chancellor Angela Merkel faces dwindling support because of "dithering" on the euro crisis and Germans' opposition to having troops in Afghanistan, says Germany expert William Drozdiak.
In this briefing note, Katinka Barsych examines the shifting relationship between Germany and the EU in the wake of the euro crisis and the ensuing financial aid package.
Mira Kamdar, a senior fellow at the World Policy Institute and an award-winning author, analyzes the rocky relationship between French President Nicolas Sarkozy and German Chancellor Angela Merkel.
Debt restructuring and longer-term eurozone reforms will be needed to contain Europe's sovereign debt problems and restore European stability and prosperity, says CFR's Marc Levinson.
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The author analyzes the potentially serious consequences, both at home and abroad, of a lightly overseen drone program and makes recommendations for improving its governance.