IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/ses/arsjes/2006-iii-1.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

The Swiss Debt Brake: How it Works and What Can Go Wrong

Author

Listed:
  • Frank Bodmer

Abstract

After a decade with large budget deficits, Switzerland introduced a debt brake in 2002. It is an expenditure rule with sets a limit on expenditure both during boom and during recession periods and applies to the federal budget and account. Judging from simulations using historical data, the mechanism works more or less as intended. There is a sanction mechanism present since deviations from the expenditure limit have to be corrected in the future. Short-term fixes are excluded to some degree since extraordinary revenue is not included in the mechanism. However, the debt brake has a number of weak spots which could lead to a failure to achieve the target of balanced accounts.

Suggested Citation

  • Frank Bodmer, 2006. "The Swiss Debt Brake: How it Works and What Can Go Wrong," Swiss Journal of Economics and Statistics (SJES), Swiss Society of Economics and Statistics (SSES), vol. 142(III), pages 307-330, September.
    • Handle: RePEc:ses:arsjes:2006-iii-1
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.sjes.ch/papers/2006-III-1.pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Bodmer Frank, 2006. "Warum die Direkte Demokratie den Anstieg der Staatsausgaben in der Schweiz nicht verhindern konnte," Zeitschrift für Wirtschaftspolitik, De Gruyter, vol. 55(3), pages 262-287, December.
    2. Gian Maria Milesi-Ferretti, 1997. "Fiscal Rules and the Budget Process," Giornale degli Economisti, GDE (Giornale degli Economisti e Annali di Economia), Bocconi University, vol. 56(1-2), pages 5-40, June.
    3. Buti, M. & Eijffinger, S.C.W. & Franco, D., 2003. "Revisiting the Stability and Growth Pact : Grand Design or Internal Adjustment?," Other publications TiSEM 2e5a01d9-9a1f-492d-995f-a, Tilburg University, School of Economics and Management.
    4. Bohn, Henning & Inman, Robert P., 1996. "Balanced-budget rules and public deficits: evidence from the U.S. states," Carnegie-Rochester Conference Series on Public Policy, Elsevier, vol. 45(1), pages 13-76, December.
    5. Barro, Robert J, 1979. "On the Determination of the Public Debt," Journal of Political Economy, University of Chicago Press, vol. 87(5), pages 940-971, October.
    6. Henning Bohn & Robert P. Inman, "undated". "Balanced Budget Rules and Public Deficits: Evidence from the U.S. States (Reprint 060)," Rodney L. White Center for Financial Research Working Papers 10-96, Wharton School Rodney L. White Center for Financial Research.
    7. Alberto Alesina & Roberto Perotti, 1995. "The Political Economy of Budget Deficits," IMF Staff Papers, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 42(1), pages 1-31, March.
    8. Tamim Bayoumi & Barry Eichengreen, 1995. "Restraining Yourself: The Implications of Fiscal Rules for Economic Stabilization," IMF Staff Papers, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 42(1), pages 32-48, March.
    9. Marco BUTI & Daniele FRANCO & Hedwig ONGENA, 1997. "Budgeetary Policies during Recessions : Retrospective Application of the Stability and Growth Pact” to the Post-War Period," Discussion Papers (REL - Recherches Economiques de Louvain) 1997041, Université catholique de Louvain, Institut de Recherches Economiques et Sociales (IRES).
    10. von Hagen, Jürgen, 1998. "Budgeting institutions for aggregate fiscal discipline," ZEI Working Papers B 01-1998, University of Bonn, ZEI - Center for European Integration Studies.
    11. Mr. Stephan Danninger, 2002. "A New Rule: The Swiss Debt Brake," IMF Working Papers 2002/018, International Monetary Fund.
    12. Christian Müller, 2004. "Anmerkungen zur Schuldenbremse," Vierteljahrshefte zur Wirtschaftsforschung / Quarterly Journal of Economic Research, DIW Berlin, German Institute for Economic Research, vol. 73(3), pages 491-501.
    13. Mr. George Kopits & Mr. Steven A. Symansky, 1998. "Fiscal Policy Rules," IMF Occasional Papers 1998/011, International Monetary Fund.
    14. James M. Poterba, 1996. "Do Budget Rules Work?," NBER Working Papers 5550, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    15. Mr. Michael Kell, 2001. "An Assessment of Fiscal Rules in the United Kingdom," IMF Working Papers 2001/091, International Monetary Fund.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Basil Guggenheim & Mario Meichle & Thomas Nellen, 2019. "Confederation debt management since 1970," Swiss Journal of Economics and Statistics, Springer;Swiss Society of Economics and Statistics, vol. 155(1), pages 1-23, December.
    2. Mar Delgado-Téllez & Javier J. Pérez, 2020. "Institutional and Economic Determinants of Regional Public Debt in Spain," Public Finance Review, , vol. 48(2), pages 212-249, March.
    3. Christian F. Pfeil & Lars P. Feld, 2024. "Does the Swiss Debt Brake Induce Sound Federal Finances? A Synthetic Control Analysis," Public Finance Review, , vol. 52(1), pages 3-41, January.
    4. Radygin Alexandr & Potapova A. & Levashenko Antonina & Girich Maria & Belev Sergey & Tishchenko Tatiana & Sokolov Ilya, 2020. "Monitoring of Russia's Economic Outlook. Trends and Challenges of Socio-economic Development," Monitoring of Russia's Economic Outlook. Trends and Challenges of Socio-Economic Development, Gaidar Institute for Economic Policy, issue 10, pages 1-25, June.
    5. Eric M. Leeper, 2016. "Should Central Banks Care About Fiscal Rules?," NBER Working Papers 22800, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    6. Alain Geier, 2012. "Application of the Swiss Fiscal Rule to Artificial Data: A Monte Carlo Simulation," Swiss Journal of Economics and Statistics (SJES), Swiss Society of Economics and Statistics (SSES), vol. 148(I), pages 37-55, March.
    7. Marianne Yousseff ISKANDAR, 2016. "The Effectiveness of Fiscal Rules - The Case of Switzerland," Journal of Social and Administrative Sciences, KSP Journals, vol. 3(3), pages 264-267, September.
    8. Balázs Égert, 2011. "Bringing French Public Debt Down: The Options for Fiscal Consolidation," OECD Economics Department Working Papers 858, OECD Publishing.
    9. Dolls, Mathias & Peichl, Andreas & Zimmermann, Klaus F., 2011. "Eine Herausforderung für die G20: Global vereinbarte Schuldenbremsen und transnationale fiskalpolitische Aufsichtsgremien," IZA Standpunkte 45, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    10. International Monetary Fund, 2008. "Israel: Selected Issues," IMF Staff Country Reports 2008/063, International Monetary Fund.
    11. International Monetary Fund, 2013. "Republic of Poland: Selected Issues," IMF Staff Country Reports 2013/220, International Monetary Fund.
    12. Mr. Erik J. Lundback, 2008. "Medium-Term Budgetary Frameworks - Lessons for Austria from International Experience," IMF Working Papers 2008/163, International Monetary Fund.
    13. Hahn, Jörg-Uwe & Konrad, Kai A. & Janeba, Eckhard & Groneck, Max & Plachta, Robert C., 2008. "Föderalismuskommission II: Neue Schuldenregelung für Bund und Länder und Altschuldenhilfe - wie sollten die Finanzbeziehungen von Bund und Ländern neu geordnet werden?," EconStor Open Access Articles and Book Chapters, ZBW - Leibniz Information Centre for Economics, vol. 61(09), pages 3-14.
    14. Mrs. Nina Budina & Ms. Andrea Schaechter & Miss Anke Weber & Mr. Tidiane Kinda, 2012. "Fiscal Rules in Response to the Crisis: Toward the "Next-Generation" Rules: A New Dataset," IMF Working Papers 2012/187, International Monetary Fund.
    15. Mr. Steven A. Symansky & Mr. Xavier Debrun & Mr. Natan P. Epstein, 2008. "A New Fiscal Rule: Should Israel “Go Swiss?”," IMF Working Papers 2008/087, International Monetary Fund.
    16. Bai, Yuting & Leeper, Eric M., 2017. "Fiscal stabilization vs. passivity," Economics Letters, Elsevier, vol. 154(C), pages 105-108.
    17. Tobias Beljean & Alain Geier, 2013. "The Swiss Debt Brake - Has It Been a Success?," Swiss Journal of Economics and Statistics (SJES), Swiss Society of Economics and Statistics (SSES), vol. 149(II), pages 115-135, June.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Rafal Benecki & Jens Hölscher & Mariusz Jarmuzek, 2006. "Fiscal Transparency and Policy Rules in Poland," CASE Network Studies and Analyses 0327, CASE-Center for Social and Economic Research.
    2. Ali Bayar, 1999. "Entry and Exit Dynamics of 'Excessive Deficits' in the European Union," CESifo Working Paper Series 216, CESifo.
    3. Alesina, Alberto & Hausmann, Ricardo & Hommes, Rudolf & Stein, Ernesto, 1999. "Budget institutions and fiscal performance in Latin America," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 59(2), pages 253-273, August.
    4. Landon, Stuart & Smith, Constance, 2017. "Does the design of a fiscal rule matter for welfare?," Economic Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 63(C), pages 226-237.
    5. Ali BAYAR & Bram SMEETS, 2009. "Excessive Deficits in the European Union: An Analysis of Entry and Exit Dynamics," EcoMod2009 21500011, EcoMod.
    6. Francesc Pujol, 2009. "Measuring US Presidents’ Political Commitment for Fiscal Discipline Between 1920 and 2008," Studies in Public Choice, in: Louis M. Imbeau (ed.), Do They Walk Like They Talk?, chapter 0, pages 83-107, Springer.
    7. Milesi-Ferretti, Gian Maria, 2004. "Good, bad or ugly? On the effects of fiscal rules with creative accounting," Journal of Public Economics, Elsevier, vol. 88(1-2), pages 377-394, January.
    8. Lloyd-Ellis, Huw & Zhu, Xiaodong, 2001. "Fiscal shocks and fiscal risk management," Journal of Monetary Economics, Elsevier, vol. 48(2), pages 309-338, October.
    9. Francesco Lagona & Fabio Padovano, 2007. "A nonlinear principal component analysis of the relationship between budget rules and fiscal performance in the European Union," Public Choice, Springer, vol. 130(3), pages 401-436, March.
    10. Cardona Bermeo, Jorge Enrique, 2002. "Manejo de pasivos contingentes en el marco de la disciplina fiscal en Colombia," Sede de la CEPAL en Santiago (Estudios e Investigaciones) 34872, Naciones Unidas Comisión Económica para América Latina y el Caribe (CEPAL).
    11. Azzimonti, Marina & Battaglini, Marco & Coate, Stephen, 2016. "The costs and benefits of balanced budget rules: Lessons from a political economy model of fiscal policy," Journal of Public Economics, Elsevier, vol. 136(C), pages 45-61.
    12. Seitz, Helmut, 2000. "Fiscal Policy, Deficits and Politics of Subnational Governments: The Case of the German Laender," Public Choice, Springer, vol. 102(3-4), pages 183-218, March.
    13. Vlenadia, Antonio, 2002. "A risk quantification model for public debt management," Sede de la CEPAL en Santiago (Estudios e Investigaciones) 34867, Naciones Unidas Comisión Económica para América Latina y el Caribe (CEPAL).
    14. Guerguil, Martine & Mandon, Pierre & Tapsoba, René, 2017. "Flexible fiscal rules and countercyclical fiscal policy," Journal of Macroeconomics, Elsevier, vol. 52(C), pages 189-220.
    15. Ricardo Hausmann & Alberto Alesina & Rudolf Hommes & Ernesto H. Stein, 1998. "Instituciones presupuestarias y desempeño fiscal en América Latina," Research Department Publications 4161, Inter-American Development Bank, Research Department.
    16. Iara, Anna & Wolff, Guntram B., 2014. "Rules and risk in the Euro area," European Journal of Political Economy, Elsevier, vol. 34(C), pages 222-236.
    17. Marco Battaglini & Stephen Coate, 2008. "A Dynamic Theory of Public Spending, Taxation, and Debt," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 98(1), pages 201-236, March.
    18. Buti, M. & Eijffinger, S.C.W. & Franco, D., 2003. "Revisiting the Stability and Growth Pact : Grand Design or Internal Adjustment?," Other publications TiSEM 2e5a01d9-9a1f-492d-995f-a, Tilburg University, School of Economics and Management.
    19. Mello, Luiz R. de, 2002. "Fiscal decentralization and borrowing costs: the case of local governments," Sede de la CEPAL en Santiago (Estudios e Investigaciones) 34881, Naciones Unidas Comisión Económica para América Latina y el Caribe (CEPAL).
    20. Alesina, A. & Passalacqua, A., 2016. "The Political Economy of Government Debt," Handbook of Macroeconomics, in: J. B. Taylor & Harald Uhlig (ed.), Handbook of Macroeconomics, edition 1, volume 2, chapter 0, pages 2599-2651, Elsevier.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    Switzerland; budget rules; expenditure limits; deficit bias;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • H62 - Public Economics - - National Budget, Deficit, and Debt - - - Deficit; Surplus

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:ses:arsjes:2006-iii-1. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Kurt Schmidheiny (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://edirc.repec.org/data/sgvssea.html .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.