Structuring and Restructuring Sovereign Debt: The Role of Seniority<xref ref-type="fn" rid="FN1">-super-1</xref>

We show how the willingness-to-pay problem and lack of exclusivity in sovereign lending may result in an equilibrium sovereign debt structure that is excessively difficult to restructure. A bankruptcy regime for sovereigns can alleviate this inefficiency but only if it is endowed with far-reaching powers to enforce seniority and subordination clauses in debt contracts. A bankruptcy regime that makes sovereign debt easier to restructure without enforcing seniority may decrease welfare. Copyright , Wiley-Blackwell.