Dimitris Papadimitriou

When, and how, might crises force institutions to change? Crisis management prompts expectations of exceptional behaviour, leaders raising their 'game', and of being empowered. The Greek crisis of 2009-18 was severe: threatening bankruptcy and Greece's exit from the euro. Yet, in a previous study of 2015, Featherstone and Papadimitriou identified key institutional weaknesses embedded within Greek governments: of poor central control and coordination, the very qualities needed in a crisis. So, how far did the crisis in Greece enable actors to overcome these critical weaknesses? What lessons were drawn, and when? Exploring change in a crisis requires careful case study. Drawing on interviews with an extensive range of personnel, including each crisis Greek prime minister, the authors meticulously explore how the four prime ministers of the period handled the challenges of crisis management. In doing so, they apply an original analytical frame. They then place the Greek case in a wider, comparative perspective, contributing to studies of crisis leadership, crisis management, core executives, and the utility of external loan conditionality. There are implications for the capacity to reform in particular domestic settings and the ability of external actors like the European Union to leverage such reform. In a heterogeneous Europe, these are issues of likely continuing importance.

This title was first published in 2002: Offering a new and challenging perspective on how the European Union (EU) sought to structure its relations with Central and Southeast Europe after the Cold War, this volume draws upon key debates in both politics and international relations. A historically and theoretically informed examination of the EU's engagement in Central and Eastern Europe since 1989, the book combines conceptual rigour with clear empirical analysis, firmly grounding the study of the European Union's current enlargement process in established theoretical perspectives. The book is written in an engaging and accessible way, which will appeal to academics, students and practitioners alike.

This title was first published in 2002: Offering a new and challenging perspective on how the European Union (EU) sought to structure its relations with Central and Southeast Europe after the Cold War, this volume draws upon key debates in both politics and international relations. A historically and theoretically informed examination of the EU's engagement in Central and Eastern Europe since 1989, the book combines conceptual rigour with clear empirical analysis, firmly grounding the study of the European Union's current enlargement process in established theoretical perspectives. The book is written in an engaging and accessible way, which will appeal to academics, students and practitioners alike.

This book is concerned with a large question in one small, but highly problematic case: how can a prime minister establish control and coordination across his or her government? The Greek system of government sustains a 'paradox of power' at its very core. The Constitution provides the prime minister with extensive and often unchecked powers. Yet, the operational structures, processes and resources around the prime minister undermine their power to manage the government. Through a study of all main premierships between 1974 and 2009, Prime Ministers in Greece argues that the Greek prime minister has been 'an emperor without clothes'. The costs of this paradox included the inability to achieve key policy objectives under successive governments and a fragmented system of governance that provided the backdrop to Greece's economic meltdown in 2010. Building on an unprecedented range of interviews and archival material, Featherstone and Papadimitriou set out to explore how this paradox has been sustained. They conclude with the Greek system meeting its 'nemesis': the arrival of the close supervision of its government by the 'Troika' - the representatives of Greece's creditors. The debt crisis challenged taboos and forced a self-reflection. It remains unclear, however, whether either the external strategy or the domestic response is likely to be sufficient to make the Greek system of governance 'fit for purpose'.

This book explores the dynamics behind Romania’s relationship with the European Union from the collapse of the Ceaucescu regime in 1989, to its recent accession to the EU in 2007. As a completely up-to-date and detailed study, it identifies key developments in EU-Romania relations, as well as the challenges Romania faced in its efforts move from the margins of the European integration to EU membership. In so doing, the analysis contributes to wider debates about the dynamics underpinning EU enlargement. Moreover, the book reveals the consequences and limits of Europeanization. Romania and the European Union analyses: the impact of integration on the consolidation of democracy in Romania; the country’s economic development, in accordance with the EU’s Copenhagen criterion - the need for acceding states to possess a ‘functioning market economy’; the process of macroeconomic reform; the reform of its public administration; the country’s efforts in implementing the EU’s acquis in the areas of justice and home affairs –a focal point in the accession negotiations given Romania’s geographical location, and its vulnerability as a major transit point for illegal migration and trafficking into the EU – and securing its external borders; the EU’s role in promoting reform as well as the limits of EU influence the obstacles Romania has had to overcome in meeting the demanding pre-requisites of accession to the EU. This book identifies the EU’s role in promoting reform, but equally the limits of EU influence. It reveals the obstacles Romania has had to overcome in meeting the demanding pre-requisites of accession to the EU.

This book explores the dynamics behind Romania’s relationship with the European Union from the collapse of the Ceaucescu regime in 1989, to its recent accession to the EU in 2007. As a completely up-to-date and detailed study, it identifies key developments in EU-Romania relations, as well as the challenges Romania faced in its efforts move from the margins of the European integration to EU membership. In so doing, the analysis contributes to wider debates about the dynamics underpinning EU enlargement. Moreover, the book reveals the consequences and limits of Europeanization. Romania and the European Union analyses: the impact of integration on the consolidation of democracy in Romania; the country’s economic development, in accordance with the EU’s Copenhagen criterion - the need for acceding states to possess a ‘functioning market economy’; the process of macroeconomic reform; the reform of its public administration; the country’s efforts in implementing the EU’s acquis in the areas of justice and home affairs –a focal point in the accession negotiations given Romania’s geographical location, and its vulnerability as a major transit point for illegal migration and trafficking into the EU – and securing its external borders; the EU’s role in promoting reform as well as the limits of EU influence the obstacles Romania has had to overcome in meeting the demanding pre-requisites of accession to the EU. This book identifies the EU’s role in promoting reform, but equally the limits of EU influence. It reveals the obstacles Romania has had to overcome in meeting the demanding pre-requisites of accession to the EU.

The S&L crisis of the 1990s has given many a reason to review the events which led to a (in many ways) similar banking crisis sixty years ago, and the subsequent legislation of the Emergency Banking Act, the Banking Act of 1933, the Banking Act of 1935, and other related legislation. The reconstituted financial structure produced the longest period of financial stability in the US history, lasting one-half of a century. The book has two goals: provide an understanding of the reasons the banking reforms enacted in the 1930s were so successful; and present a set of policy proposals which offer the institutional provisions for both the financing of the capital development of the economy, and a safe payments system.

The S&L crisis of the 1990s has given many a reason to review the events which led to a (in many ways) similar banking crisis sixty years ago, and the subsequent legislation of the Emergency Banking Act, the Banking Act of 1933, the Banking Act of 1935, and other related legislation. The reconstituted financial structure produced the longest period of financial stability in the US history, lasting one-half of a century. The book has two goals: provide an understanding of the reasons the banking reforms enacted in the 1930s were so successful; and present a set of policy proposals which offer the institutional provisions for both the financing of the capital development of the economy, and a safe payments system.