Christian Odendahl

Christian Odendahl

Chief economist (Based in Berlin)
Areas of expertise 

Eurozone, ECB, Germany, fiscal and monetary policy, structural reforms, political economy of economic integration, international trade, financial regulation.

Dig for Victory?

16 November 2017
A UK trade deal with the US will create more problems for British agriculture and food consumers than it would solve.

Relaunching the EU

07 November 2017
The EU is ripe for fundamental reform. New policies are needed for migration and the euro. The EU also needs more flexible structures so that countries can opt in and out of key policies.
How the ECB should respond to a German fiscal boost

How the ECB should respond to a German fiscal boost

26 September 2017
A German stimulus has the potential to help the eurozone economy. But how the ECB reacts is key.
Could Germany end up with a minority government?

Could Germany end up with a minority government?

04 September 2017
The SPD has probably bottomed out and a centre-right coalition might not have the numbers. But neither the SPD nor the Greens are keen on the junior role under Merkel.
What the German elections mean for Brexit

What the German elections mean for Brexit

30 August 2017
The German elections will not affect the outcome of Brexit, whatever coalition partner Angela Merkel may choose.
Make German politics interesting again

Make German politics interesting again

18 August 2017
Merkel is disarming the SPD, which is too cautious to promise real change, while Die Linke’s radicalism is poisoning the SPD’s only possible route to power.
The Hartz myth: Drawing lessons from Germany

The Hartz myth: Drawing lessons from Germany

20 July 2017
Germany's Hartz labour market reforms were no miracle cure. Rather than copying them, the rest of Europe should learn more nuanced lessons from the German experience.
The Hartz myth: A closer look at Germany's labour market reforms

The Hartz myth: A closer look at Germany's labour market reforms

10 July 2017
Germany's labour market reforms of the early 2000s had a modest effect on the economy. Europe should learn nuanced lessons from the German experience.
A flexible EU: A new beginning or the beginning of the end?

A flexible EU: A new beginning or the beginning of the end?

18 May 2017
The EU needs to become more flexible if it is to tackle current and future challenges effectively. But it should do so transparently, and remain inclusive.

Can Martin Schulz beat Angela Merkel?

20 March 2017
A chancellor Schulz would be good news for the eurozone economy. But he would not differ much from Merkel on Brexit.