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.
How to make EU fiscal rules compatible with net zero
09 May 2022
EU governments will have to invest a lot more to meet 2030 emissions targets. Fiscal rules exemptions and more EU funding are needed to ensure Europe reaches its climate goals without political crises.
The EU must triple down on green investment
24 March 2022
Russia’s war on Ukraine forces Europe to make some tough economic choices. Higher climate investment is a no-brainer, however.
Ditchley conference report: The politics of climate change
02 February 2022
Climate change is as much a political problem as a technological one, and the CER's annual economics conference focused on ways to overcome inertia, denial and myopia.
Six questions on Germany's new coalition agreement
26 November 2021
The German coalition agreement contains sensible commitments on security policy, an ambitious agenda on climate, new-found boldness on China and openness to use fiscal policy more aggressively, at home and in Europe.
What Europe expects of post-Merkel Germany
30 September 2021
Europe expects Germany’s likely new Chancellor, Olaf Scholz, to keep Europe united while adding more strategic vision to fight climate change, transform the European economy and navigate global politics.
What Europe expects of post-Merkel Germany
29 September 2021
Europe expects Germany’s likely new Chancellor, Olaf Scholz, to keep Europe united while adding more strategic vision to fight climate change, transform the European economy and navigate global politics.
Three questions on the German election
27 July 2021
As the floods in Germany change the dynamics of the race, the CDU could win the most votes yet end up in opposition. In that case, the chancellor could be the SPD’s Olaf Scholz.
Europe shouldn't worry about inflation
20 July 2021
The fear of inflation is stalking Europe again. Policy-makers are right to be relaxed.
Learning to live with debt
18 May 2021
When the old consensus on public debt was formed in the 1980s, the world economy was very different from today’s. It’s time for a new approach.
Why Europe should spend big like Biden
29 March 2021
The scale of Biden’s spending plans means the US economy will recover much faster than Europe’s. Yet in many ways it is the European economy that is in greater need of stimulus.