Inflation has returned across most developed economies, with significant economic and political implications. While higher energy prices are partly to blame, inflationary pressures seem to be more widely spread. This has raised the prospect that this is not a temporary bout of inflation but more sustained.
Even if temporary, the question remains how economic and monetary policymakers are going to distribute the pain from higher inflation. This issue is particularly pertinent in the eurozone, where member states are experiencing different levels of inflation and some economies might be better placed to deal with higher interest rates than others.
In this breakfast discussion, we will explore the following questions and more with Paul Tucker, a fellow at the Harvard Kennedy School, former central banker and the author of Unelected Power, and Manuela Moschella, associate fellow of the Europe Programme:
• Have we reached the end of a long period of low inflation in Europe?
• How can policymakers curb inflation in an equitable manner?
• Is there a risk of the response to inflation reinflaming old divisions within the eurozone?
• What will the current episode mean for the position and reputation of central bankers?
