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This paper shows how bank-specific, industry-specific, and macroeconomic determinants affect the profitability of 3046 banks across 19 Euro area countries, from 2006 to 2015. To assess the existence of potentially relevant asymmetries, we split our sample of Euro area banks into peripheral and core countries’ banks. Our results reveal that, compared to banks from core countries, the marginal effect of the loan loss provisions burden on profitability is, on average, at least 3 times larger in peripheral banks where a 1 p.p. increase in loan loss provisions reduces return on average assets by 0.6 p.p. Moreover, the impact of loan loss provisions on profitability levels during the 2008–2013 financial crisis period is found to be significantly more severe in peripheral banks. Our results likewise suggest that the improvement of efficiency levels and a more selective asset growth have stronger effects on the returns of peripheral banks. In contrast, the effect of customer deposits suggests that core countries’ banks make better use of this source of funding. info:eu-repo/semantics/acceptedVersion

Background: The European financial crisis has affected most of the EU member states, and European institutions have had to create new financial instruments to counter the impact. Most effects in the economic and political spheres can be attributed to high unemployment and changes in governments in peripheral countries (Greece, Ireland, Portugal, Spain and Romania). Objectives: The aim of this paper is to demonstrate the economic and political effects of the European financial crisis in some peripheral countries that have implemented austerity policies. Methods/Approach: The methodology used is mixed: an analysis of the primary economic variables of the selected countries in comparison to those of countries with low-risk premium was performed, and the relation between the bailouts and elections was presented. Results: The exacerbation of the crisis in the Eurozone is mainly due to the high political costs of austerity measures and not the high level of public spending and/or the alternations in the governments of peripheral countries. Conclusions: The European financial crisis is primarily a result of weak economic governance, and its effects are differentiated. The peripheral countries possess the highest rates of unemployment, and there is a higher tendency towards political instability in rescued countries.