Hans-Werner Sinn, the president of Germany’s Ifo Institute for Economic Research think-tank, said policymakers would continue to misuse capital to finance the higher living standards unlocked by joining the euro, while dragging their heels on reform.

“My prediction is not that the euro will fall apart, but that it leads to a stagnation and animosity even more than we see today among the people of Europe,” he said. “You see this very strongly in southern Europe, where people face this mass unemployment, in France, where Marine le Pen in the polls has the strongest party and with Syriza in Greece which is presenting radical decisions and has the most support in the polls.”