The sovereign debt crisis has made it clear that central banking is more than keeping inflation low. Central banks are also responsible for financial stability. An essential tool in maintaining financial stability is provided by the capacity of the central bank to be the lender of last resort in...

There is thus a fundamental credibility issue about the willingness of the ECB to be a lender of last resort in the government bond markets. This will continue to make the eurozone a fragile construction. As a result, the possibility of a future euro crisis cannot be excluded.

In concise, non-technical terms, Paul De Grauwe, Professor of Economics at Leuven University and Senior Associate Research Fellow at CEPS, explains how the current financial crisis in the eurozone developed, distinguishing in turn the three main actors that have played a major role: Greece, the...