Why the coronavirus could lead to another surge in Euroscepticism
Euroscepticism never actually went away after Brexit, but European Union stalwarts have largely been holding the line, with gambits from anti-EU leaders like Italy's Matteo Salvini failing over the past year. But the COVID-19 pandemic could change that.
Countries like Italy, Spain, and Portugal have seen their debt burdens rise during the pandemic, but despite calls from Italy for Brussels to issue so-called "eurobonds" to share debt more evenly across the continent, the European Central Bank is instead relying on a massive asset-purchase program which allows all eurozone members to borrow from bond markets during the downturn. But risk varies by country.
"What matters to markets is the sense that we are not seeing solidarity at a time of crisis," Mark Dowding, the chief investment officer at BlueBay Asset Management, told the Financial Times. "Instead it's every man for himself. That is going to fuel Euroscepticism, which eventually sees fears of a breakup getting priced in."
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Richard McGuire, a rates strategist at a Rabobank, concurred, telling FT the "creditworthiness of member states is back at the center of the market's radar." He added that the concern stretches across all of southern Europe. "We are moving back to a two-speed continent," he said. Read more at The Financial Times.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Tim is a staff writer at The Week and has contributed to Bedford and Bowery and The New York Transatlantic. He is a graduate of Occidental College and NYU's journalism school. Tim enjoys writing about baseball, Europe, and extinct megafauna. He lives in New York City.
-
The sweet smell of excess: how fatbergs make perfume
Under The Radar Scientists are turning the horror blobs of the sewer into fragrant scents
By Chas Newkey-Burden, The Week UK Published
-
The Week contest: Robotaxi review
Puzzles and Quizzes
By The Week US Published
-
Magazine solutions - January 24, 2025
Puzzles and Quizzes Issue - January 24, 2025
By The Week US Published
-
US port strike averted with tentative labor deal
Speed Read The strike could have shut down major ports from Texas to Maine
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Biden expected to block Japanese bid for US Steel
Speed Read The president is blocking the $14 billion acquisition of U.S. Steel by Japan's Nippon Steel, citing national security concerns
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Judges block $25B Kroger-Albertsons merger
Speed Read The proposed merger between the supermarket giants was stalled when judges overseeing two separate cases blocked the deal
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Rupert Murdoch loses 'Succession' court battle
Speed Read Murdoch wanted to give full control of his empire to son Lachlan, ensuring Fox News' right-wing editorial slant
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Bitcoin surges above $100k in post-election rally
Speed Read Investors are betting that the incoming Trump administration will embrace crypto
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Enron mystery: 'sick joke' or serious revival?
Speed Read 23 years after its bankruptcy filing, the Texas energy firm has announced its resurrection
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
US charges Indian tycoon with bribery, fraud
Speed Read Indian billionaire Gautam Adani has been indicted by US prosecutors for his role in a $265 million scheme to secure solar energy deals
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Boeing machinists approve contract, end strike
Speed Read The company's largest union approved the new contract offer, ending a seven-week strike
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published