Mungiu-Pippidi discusses good governance with Christine Lagarde, distinguished panelists at IMF conference

Improving governance in Central, Eastern and Southeastern Europe was the topic of discussion at a recent International Monetary Fund (IMF) conference in Croatia on 10-11 July 2017. Alina Mungiu-Pippidi, Professor of Democracy Studies, presented her research on measuring corruption as an indicator of good governance and the challenges to measuring accurate indicators of success. “Unless you solve your governance problems,” says Mungiu-Pippidi, “you are not going to develop very much.” Video of her full presentation can be watched here.

Mungiu-Pippidi also participated in a policy roundtable discussion with Christine Lagarde, Managing Director of the IMF, about the link between good governance and inclusive growth. “We have good reason to believe that good governance leads to improved productivity ... and certainly to a societal chemistry that restores confidence and gives more hope to young people to stay in the country rather than emigrate,” states Lagarde, who outlined three key characteristics of good governance: transparency and accountability, fair participation and a level playing field, and the functioning operational capacity of the state. Mungiu-Pippidi reiterates the need to “fight corruption insidiously” where it is apparent and outlined three historical examples of how to fight corruption.

Mungiu-Pippidi and Lagarde were joined by Jacek Rostowski, former Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance of Poland, Karen Tso, Central bank of Croatia, and Gerard Roland, Professor at the University of California, Berkeley. Video of their discussion can be watched here.