In this episode of The Sound of Economics, host Rebecca Christie discusses financial stability with Bruegel Director Jeromin Zettelmeyer and Olaf Sleijpen, President of De Nederlandsche Bank and a member of the European Central Bank (ECB) Governing Council. What are the risks? How much should we worry about long-term interest rates and soaring budget deficits? Are the biggest threats coming from inside or outside the euro area? What are the ECB’s crisis-fighting tools, and how soon can they be ready? How much of a financial-stability risk is France's ballooning debt? This podcast touches on the European Commission’s banking reform effort, the risks from artificial intelligence and cybersecurity, and the need for resilience and economic growth.
Related research:
‘Priorities and trade-offs for the next round of EU banking reform’, Event, 13 October 2026, Bruegel
Frieda, G. (2026) 'What is driving the global rise in long-term interest rates?', Analysis 23/2026, Bruegel
Sleijpen, O. (2026) ‘Geopolitics, Trade Uncertainty and Inflation: Chimera or Reality?’, Speech, 17 June, De Nederlandsche Bank
Sleijpen, O. (2026) ‘Racing the clock: Europe’s Journey to a Savings and Investment Union’, Speech, 16 June, De Nederlandsche Bank
Weder di Mauro, B. and J. Zettelmeyer (2026) 'The new global imbalances: why care, why now and what should be done?', Essay 01/2026, Bruegel