Finally, the structure of the Euro Zone did not allow Spain to address the
downturn effectively. When Spain agreed to join the monetary union, it also agreed to
give up its monetary policy and its influence over interest rates. Domestic demand
plummeted in the aftermath of the housing bubble bursting, and Spain would have
benefited from devaluing its currency to make exports more attractive. Previously, in
times of low domestic demand, Spain had devalued the peseta, its previous currency, and
increased exports to spur growth. Yet now the Euro Zone, spearheaded by Germany, was
unwilling to depreciate the Euro