My big fat Greek divorce

摘要

It is never pleasant to watch a relationship founder. Greece's prime minister, Alexis Tsipras, has charged its creditors with trying to humiliate the country; he has accused the imf of "criminal responsibility" for Greece's suffering. Prominent euro-zone politicians are saying openly that, without a deal to release rescue funds in the next few days, default and "Grexit" loom. The urgency is because of a repayment of €1.5 billion ($1.7 billion), which Greece seemingly cannot afford, to the imf on June 30th and because Greece's European bail-out expires that day. Cue the last-ditch negotiations that have become a Euro-speciality: just after The Economist went to press, finance ministers were to assemble in Luxembourg; leaders may meet over the weekend; a European Union summit is scheduled at the end of next week. It may come down to a head-to-head between Mr Tsipras and Angela Merkel, Germany's chancellor. A deal is still possible, but the sides have come to loathe each other. If this were a marriage, the lawyers would be circling. Divorce would be a disaster-for everyone. The trouble is that, unless Greece and the euro zone change the terms of their relationship, staying together would not be a great deal better.