Legal challenges may delay eurozone bail-out fund

Legal challenges in Germany, Ireland and Estonia, as well as political uncertainty in the Netherlands, may delay the setting up of a permanent eurozone bail-out fund at a time when Spain's economic woes require a strong firewall.

Citing democratic concerns, an Irish MP on Tuesday (17 April) lodged a constitutional complaint against the European treaties establishing the permanent eurozone bail-out fund - the European Stability Mechanism (ESM) - and the 'fiscal compact' on budget discipl...