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Fiscal adjustments, labour market flexibility and unemployment

Author

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  • Agnello, Luca
  • Castro, Vitor
  • Tovar Jalles, João
  • Sousa, Ricardo M.

Abstract

Using a panel of 17 countries for 1978–2009, we find that tax-driven consolidations increase unemployment by 0.25 percentage points. Labour market flexibility mitigates this: a one-point rise in the flexibility index reduces youth (long-term) unemployment by 0.6–0.7 (1.8–2.2) percentage points.

Suggested Citation

  • Agnello, Luca & Castro, Vitor & Tovar Jalles, João & Sousa, Ricardo M., 2014. "Fiscal adjustments, labour market flexibility and unemployment," Economics Letters, Elsevier, vol. 124(2), pages 231-235.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:ecolet:v:124:y:2014:i:2:p:231-235
    DOI: 10.1016/j.econlet.2014.05.029
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Wasseem Mina, 2022. "The Determinants of Youth Unemployment in the Arab Countries," International Center for Public Policy Working Paper Series, at AYSPS, GSU paper2204, International Center for Public Policy, Andrew Young School of Policy Studies, Georgia State University.
    2. Avram, Silvia, 2020. "Labour market flexibility and unemployment duration: evidence from the UK," ISER Working Paper Series 2020-11, Institute for Social and Economic Research.
    3. Castro, Vítor, 2017. "The impact of fiscal consolidations on the functional components of government expenditures," Economic Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 60(C), pages 138-150.
    4. Nicea Mergeani & Andreea-Gabriela D?nciulescu, 2016. "Youth Unemployment – The Main Statistics In Romania Compared With The European Union Ones," Annals of University of Craiova - Economic Sciences Series, University of Craiova, Faculty of Economics and Business Administration, vol. 1(44), pages 298-309.
    5. Rottmann, Horst, 2014. "Do unemployment benefits and employment protection influence suicide mortality? An international panel data analysis," Weidener Diskussionspapiere 42, University of Applied Sciences Amberg-Weiden (OTH).
    6. Topal, Pinar, 2015. "Fiscal stimulus and labor market flexibility," SAFE Working Paper Series 90, Leibniz Institute for Financial Research SAFE.
    7. Georgantas, Georgios & Kasselaki, Maria & Tagkalakis, Athanasios, 2023. "Τhe effects of fiscal consolidation in OECD countries," Economic Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 118(C).
    8. Luca Zanin, 2018. "The pyramid of Okun’s coefficient for Italy," Empirica, Springer;Austrian Institute for Economic Research;Austrian Economic Association, vol. 45(1), pages 17-28, February.
    9. Djankov, Simeon & Georgieva, Dorina & Ramalho, Rita, 2017. "Determinants of regulatory reform," LSE Research Online Documents on Economics 118969, London School of Economics and Political Science, LSE Library.
    10. Agnello, Luca & Castro, Vitor & Jalles, João Tovar & Sousa, Ricardo M., 2015. "What determines the likelihood of structural reforms?," European Journal of Political Economy, Elsevier, vol. 37(C), pages 129-145.
    11. Brigitte Granville & Dominik Nagly, 2015. "Conflicting Incentives for Public Support for EMU," Manchester School, University of Manchester, vol. 83, pages 142-157, December.
    12. Vitor Castro, 2016. "On the behaviour of the functional components ofgovernment expenditures during fiscal consolidations," NIPE Working Papers 11/2016, NIPE - Universidade do Minho.
    13. Kuokštis, Vytautas & Asali, Muhammad & Spurga, Simonas Algirdas, 2022. "Labor market flexibility and exchange rate regimes," European Journal of Political Economy, Elsevier, vol. 75(C).
    14. Christian Breuer & Horst Rottmann, 2014. "Do Labor Market Institutions Influence Suicide Mortality? An International Panel Data Analysis," CESifo Working Paper Series 4875, CESifo.
    15. Prein, Timm, 2019. "Persistent Unemployment, Sovereign Debt Crises, and the Impact of Haircuts," VfS Annual Conference 2019 (Leipzig): 30 Years after the Fall of the Berlin Wall - Democracy and Market Economy 203654, Verein für Socialpolitik / German Economic Association, revised 2019.
    16. Chletsos, Michael & Sintos, Andreas, 2023. "The effects of IMF conditional programs on the unemployment rate," European Journal of Political Economy, Elsevier, vol. 76(C).
    17. Joseph Eshun & Emmanuel Acheampong & King David Kweku Botchway & Morié Guy-Roland N'Drin & Divine Adzove, 2023. "Labour Market Flexibility and Economic Growth in Africa," Prague Economic Papers, Prague University of Economics and Business, vol. 2023(3), pages 320-349.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Fiscal adjustments; Labour market flexibility; Unemployment; Youth and long-term unemployment;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • H62 - Public Economics - - National Budget, Deficit, and Debt - - - Deficit; Surplus
    • H63 - Public Economics - - National Budget, Deficit, and Debt - - - Debt; Debt Management; Sovereign Debt
    • H12 - Public Economics - - Structure and Scope of Government - - - Crisis Management
    • E24 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Consumption, Saving, Production, Employment, and Investment - - - Employment; Unemployment; Wages; Intergenerational Income Distribution; Aggregate Human Capital; Aggregate Labor Productivity

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