Place your bets on Europe’s turmoil

If any of the populist parties take power in Europe, the ramifications will be far wider than investors are betting on, says Matthew Lynn.

833-Wilders-1200

Geert Wilders: planning a new Dutch gilder
(Image credit: Copyright (c) 2016 Rex Features. No use without permission.)

Europe's election season is about to kick off, and investors are feeling nervous. The Netherlands goes to the polls on 15 March, with the Freedom Party led by Geert Wilders likely to make big gains on a platform of leaving the EU and the euro. A month later, France will vote in its two-round presidential election: far-right leader Marine Le Pen looks certain to be in the second round. Over in Germany, Angela Merkel is slipping in the polls. Italy's chaotic government may soon face another election too.

Subscribe to MoneyWeek

Subscribe to MoneyWeek today and get your first six magazine issues absolutely FREE

Get 6 issues free
https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/flexiimages/mw70aro6gl1676370748.jpg

Sign up to Money Morning

Don't miss the latest investment and personal finances news, market analysis, plus money-saving tips with our free twice-daily newsletter

Don't miss the latest investment and personal finances news, market analysis, plus money-saving tips with our free twice-daily newsletter

Sign up
Matthew Lynn

Matthew Lynn is a columnist for Bloomberg, and writes weekly commentary syndicated in papers such as the Daily Telegraph, Die Welt, the Sydney Morning Herald, the South China Morning Post and the Miami Herald. He is also an associate editor of Spectator Business, and a regular contributor to The Spectator. Before that, he worked for the business section of the Sunday Times for ten years. 

He has written books on finance and financial topics, including Bust: Greece, The Euro and The Sovereign Debt Crisis and The Long Depression: The Slump of 2008 to 2031. Matthew is also the author of the Death Force series of military thrillers and the founder of Lume Books, an independent publisher.