Well, those harsh austerity measures sure didn't work. Time to give quantitative easing a try, even if that does upset the Germans.
On Thursday, the European Central Bank announced it will begin a bond-buying program that will funnel 60 billion euros a month into the weak euro zone economy from March to the end of September 2016, Reuters reports. The move will create more than 1 trillion euros ($1.14 trillion) in an attempt to stave off deflation and stimulate the zone's depressed economy, which is struggling with record-high unemployment of nearly 12 percent.
Germany, long a champion of austerity to force poorer countries like Greece and Portugal to reduce debt, expressed concern that the ECB's move will allow weaker countries to ease off economic reforms and leave Germany to foot the bill. Reuters reports German lawyers have stated their intent to file legal complaints against the program.
Read more from
Reuters.[[In-content Ad]]