Hawks to doves? Germany's new generation of economists

Long before the coronavirus struck, signs were already there that Germany would, at some point, start pushing for more financial and economic integration in Europe.

Last autumn, Bundesbank president Jens Weidmann surprised many by saying that the 'black zero' - the German political commitment to a balanced budget – "shouldn't become a fetish".

Then German finance minister Olaf Scholz declared he was willing to negotiate a European deposit guarantee and a eurozone budget.

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