How the German government responded to the financial, economic and fiscal crises

Abstract

This paper explains the German government's response to the financial, economic and fiscal crises. It covers the financial crisis in 2008 when banks were supported (SoFFin), the economic crisis in 2009, and the fiscal crisis of increasing state debts and budget deficits which caused the German government to cut spending (Sparpaket) in 2010. The author looks at the contents of the government's responses, but also at the political and administrative aspects of the government's decision-making processes.

Keywords:

• Economic crisis
• financial and banking crisis
• fiscal crisis
• German politics
• government decision-making

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Walter Kickert

Walter J. M. Kickert is Professor of Public Management at Erasmus University Rotterdam, The Netherlands. He is currently involved in an international comparative research project on state responses to the fiscal crisis, together with Randma-Liiv of Tallinn University.