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