This article derives time-varying threshold multipliers for G7 countries and the euro area, above which consolidation will be self-defeating (that is, leading to an increase rather than a decrease in the debt-to-GDP ratio). Simulations suggest that these thresholds have declined since the...

This paper studies whether changes in the composition of public spending affect the macroeconomic consequences of fiscal consolidations. Based on a sample of 44 developing countries and 26 advanced economies during 1980-2019, results show that while fiscal consolidations tend to be on average,...

How should public debt be managed when uncertainty about the business cycle is widespread and debt levels are high, as in the aftermath of the last financial crisis? This paper analyzes optimal fiscal policy with ambiguity aversion and endogenous government spending. We show that, without...