Stefano Merlo

Stefano Merlo is an Associate Lecturer (Teaching) in the Politics of Economic Policy at University College London's Department of Political Science, and a Fellow in Public Policy at the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE). He holds a PhD in Political Economy from VU Amsterdam's John Stuart Mill College. His research focuses on the intersection of macroeconomic governance and democratic theory, particularly applying neo-republican frameworks to evaluate institutions like central banks and fiscal councils in the Eurozone. He has organized interdisciplinary events exploring public debt management, tax ethics, and macroeconomic interdependence.

Merlo's academic roles include teaching economics and political science courses at UCL, LSE, and Oxford's Blavatnik School of Government. He has held visiting research positions at the European University Institute and the Hertie School of Government. His work examines how democratic principles can guide fiscal policies and institutional frameworks in economically interdependent states, emphasizing sovereignty and non-domination.

His publications analyze the legitimacy of independent fiscal institutions, fiscal frameworks in the Eurozone post-crisis, and the democratic challenges posed by central banking. He actively participates in policy discussions through conferences and public debates, addressing topics such as the EU Recovery Fund and the role of fiscal discipline in monetary unions.