IMF Europe advice panics Australian economist

The following bit of malicious scare-mongering is bound to send lefty Australian economist John Quiggin into a panic:

Europe needs to focus on bringing young people, people over 50 years old and women into the workforce, the IMF’s deputy director of research, David Robinson, said at the Brussels Economic Forum.

"The key to progress is at the national level," Mr Robinson said.

With fewer working hours due to shorter workweeks combined with more holiday time in comparison with US workers, some of the reasons why Europeans have only 70 per cent GDP per capita versus the US are clear.

I think Mr Robinson is trying to diplomatically say that more Europeans need to be working rather than drawing some sort of government benefit and those that do work need to work harder, if the EU hopes to catch up with the US, that is.

Really Quiggers, there's no reason to be scared, all Europe need do is make a slight turn to the right. Quiggers ... you can come out from behind the couch, it's safe.