Government at a crossroads

Political time passes relentlessly, especially a government’s second term. The ability to liberate itself from the party balances decreases. The specter of political cost looks more menacing with each passing day. The crossroads that it reaches are well known.

Each prime minister has to choose, on the one hand, between fiscal discipline combined with egg-breaking reforms, and, on the other, and the well-trodden path of easing rules and avoiding risky moves. We have seen time and again where one of these roads ends. We hope the prime minister can tame the instincts of his political staff and dare to walk the other path.