It isn't just about Greece: Domestic politics, transparency and fiscal gimmickry in Europe

TY - JOUR

T1 - It isn't just about Greece

T2 - Domestic politics, transparency and fiscal gimmickry in Europe

AU - Alt, James

AU - Lassen, David Dreyer

AU - Wehner, Joachim

PY - 2014/1/1

Y1 - 2014/1/1

N2 - This article analyzes the political origins of differences in adherence to the fiscal framework of the European Union (EU). It shows how incentives to use fiscal policy for electoral purposes and limited budget transparency at the national level, combined with the need to respond to fiscal rules at the supranational level, interact to systematically undermine the Economic and Monetary Union through the employment of fiscal gimmicks or creative accounting. It also explains in detail how national accounts were manipulated to produce electoral cycles that were under the radar of the EU budget surveillance system, and concludes with new perspectives on the changes to (and challenges for) euro area fiscal rules.

AB - This article analyzes the political origins of differences in adherence to the fiscal framework of the European Union (EU). It shows how incentives to use fiscal policy for electoral purposes and limited budget transparency at the national level, combined with the need to respond to fiscal rules at the supranational level, interact to systematically undermine the Economic and Monetary Union through the employment of fiscal gimmicks or creative accounting. It also explains in detail how national accounts were manipulated to produce electoral cycles that were under the radar of the EU budget surveillance system, and concludes with new perspectives on the changes to (and challenges for) euro area fiscal rules.

U2 - 10.1017/S0007123414000064

DO - 10.1017/S0007123414000064

M3 - Journal article

AN - SCOPUS:84911398614

SN - 0007-1234

VL - 44

SP - 707

EP - 716

JO - British Journal of Political Science

JF - British Journal of Political Science

IS - 4

ER -