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Fiscal asymmetries and debt crises: Evidence from Lebanon using a sign restricted structural VAR model

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  • Neaime, Simon
  • Badra, Nasser
  • Gaysset, Isabelle

Abstract

This study identifies empirically Lebanon's fiscal asymmetries and shocks and traces their effects on GDP using a sign-restricted structural VAR approach. Following Arias et al.’s (2018) identification procedure of sign and zero restrictions, our empirical findings point to a sluggish effect of fiscal policy on economic activity, stipulating that fiscal policy is conducted with non-Keynesian features. The study also documents evidence in favor of crowding out effects given that central government's borrowings are mainly from the local financial market. Moreover, with a non-Keynesian effect of fiscal policy, policy makers should refrain from using fiscal tools to counteract business-cycle fluctuations. It is shown that in order to break through government expenditure's inefficiency, the government must curb a rising budget deficit, which is harnessing an increasing cost of capital and impinging negatively on debt and its service. A rising sovereign debt, in turn, has subsequently triggered a sovereign debt crisis in October 2019.

Suggested Citation

  • Neaime, Simon & Badra, Nasser & Gaysset, Isabelle, 2023. "Fiscal asymmetries and debt crises: Evidence from Lebanon using a sign restricted structural VAR model," The Journal of Economic Asymmetries, Elsevier, vol. 28(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:joecas:v:28:y:2023:i:c:s1703494923000464
    DOI: 10.1016/j.jeca.2023.e00334
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Lebanon'S debt crisis; Structural VAR; Fiscal shocks;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • E62 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Macroeconomic Policy, Macroeconomic Aspects of Public Finance, and General Outlook - - - Fiscal Policy; Modern Monetary Theory
    • E69 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Macroeconomic Policy, Macroeconomic Aspects of Public Finance, and General Outlook - - - Other
    • F34 - International Economics - - International Finance - - - International Lending and Debt Problems
    • C32 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Multiple or Simultaneous Equation Models; Multiple Variables - - - Time-Series Models; Dynamic Quantile Regressions; Dynamic Treatment Effect Models; Diffusion Processes; State Space Models

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