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Studies have shown that political variables can infl uence the volume of government debt and have recommended investigating the joint effects of diverse factors on the risk of local government default. Considering the relation between economic management and political constraints, this paper examines the joint infl uence of political and systemic factors on the risk of loan default by Spanish local governments. To do so, we analyze 148 city councils for the period 2006-2011, using a logit model with panel data and an artifi cial neural network. The empirical results indicate that the fi nancial risk of local governments is affected both by political factors specifi c to each case and, simultaneously, by systemic variables for the country. Specifi cally, political variables such as the mayor not having economics-related university studies, the under-representation of female councilors in the municipal corporation, municipal government by a party with a progressive ideology, and ideological alignment between the municipal and the regional government are all associated with greater fi nancial risk. Moreover, rising national unemployment, an increased sovereign risk premium, the impact of the electoral cycle, and that of declining economic growth are all factors that may increase the risk of default. The fi ndings presented are of great potential interest for governments, managers, national and international fi scal authorities, fi nancial regulators, and citizens at large, because an understanding of the signifi cance of these variables can help authorities make appropriate decisions to prevent and/or overcome problems related to municipal insolvency.

Les organisations internationales, ainsi que des etudes anterieures, ont exprime des preoccupations au sujet de la situation financiere des gouvernements locaux, et la question de l’endettement a ete identifiee comme un element crucial des efforts visant a surmonter la crise financiere actuelle. Cependant, les variables susceptibles d’affecter la bonne sante financiere de ces gouvernements n’ont pas ete suffisamment etudiees, en depit de leur relation directe avec la prime de risque de credit. Dans le present article, nous cherchons a identifier les facteurs de risque de defaut de paiement des gouvernements locaux, et a fournir des informations utiles aux gestionnaires financiers des municipalites. Nous avons procede a l’etude empirique de 148 municipalites espagnoles et avons analyse les donnees de quatre exercices, en appliquant un modele de regression logistique a effets aleatoires. Nos conclusions revelent qu’une population moins dense, ou moins dependante, une baisse des niveaux de revenu par habitant, ainsi que la presence de dirigeants locaux progressistes, constituent autant de facteurs de risque de defaut de paiement des gouvernements locaux. De plus, nos conclusions indiquent que la variable de la structure financiere generale ainsi que la celle de la composition de la dette et de sa maturite influencent le risque de defaut de paiement des gouvernements locaux.Remarques a l’intention des praticiensLes conclusions du present article sont susceptibles de fournir des informations utiles pour les gestionnaires et les politiciens responsables de la gestion financiere des gouvernements locaux, plus particulierement en leur permettant de mieux comprendre les primes de risque assignees par les banques. Plus specifiquement, en identifiant les facteurs de risque de defaut de paiement, le present article met en exergue les signes d’avertissement correspondant a ce risque, de sorte que des arguments pertinents puissent s’exprimer lorsqu’il s’agit de negocier les calendriers de remboursement et les taux d’interet, ainsi que de concevoir des plans de viabilite financiere et de restructuration.

High levels of debt, provoked by a situation of economic and financial crisis, constitute a major threat to the financial sustainability of governments in the euro zone and in many other parts of the world. This delicate state of public finances also affects local governments and has led researchers to study the variables that influence the volume of bank debt. However, few have specifically analysed the causes of local government default, although it has provoked spending cutbacks and tax increases in many countries. The aim of this paper is to examine political factors that may increase the risk of local government default. Using a logit model for panel data and applying the Basel II rules, we studied the financial performance of large local Spanish governments for the period 2006-2011. Our empirical findings reveal four political factors that may increase the risk of default (the mayor’sknowledge of finance and economics, a low percentage of women councillors, a left-wing ideology and ideological alignment with the regional government).These findings are of great interest for stakeholders who may be affected by local government default, including voters, taxpayers, users of public services, managers, policymakers, financial institutions, creditors, fiscal authorities and central government.

In governments throughout the world, bank lending excesses, solvency issues and worsening credit ratings have all contributed to raising risk premiums and impeding access to credit, thus provoking a major financial problem in the public sector. Accordingly, tax authorities and regulators need to analyse the causes of public sector bank debt, doing so through the joint study of idiosyncratic and systematic variables, an area that has been neglected in previous research. This paper examines idiosyncratic and systematic factors that may influence local government credit risk through an empirical study of the performance of 148 large Spanish municipalities during 2006–2011. We identify individual factors relevant to the probability of local government default (such as dependent population, per capita income and debt composition) and also determinants associated with macroeconomic developments, such as gross domestic product and the risk premium.

Concern has been expressed by international organisations and in previous studies about the financial situation of local governments, and the question of debt has been identified as a crucial element in efforts to overcome the current financial crisis. However, the variables that can affect the financial soundness of these governments have not been sufficiently studied, despite their direct relation to the credit risk premium. In this article, we aim to identify risk factors for default by local governments, and provide useful information to municipal financial managers. We conducted an empirical study of 148 Spanish municipalities and analysed data from four years, applying a random effects logistic regression model. Our findings reveal that a lower population density, less dependent population, falling levels of per capita income and the presence of progressive local government are all risk factors for default by local governments. Furthermore, our findings indicate that the general financing structure variable and debt composition and maturity variable do influence the risk of default by local governments. Points for practitioners The findings of this article can provide useful information for managers and politicians responsible for the financial management of local governments, in particular, by enabling them to better understand the risk premiums assigned by banks. Specifically, by identifying the risk factors for default, this article highlights the warning signs of this risk, so that suitable arguments may be expressed in negotiating loan repayment schedules and interest rates, and in designing financial viability and restructuring plans.

Previous studies have highlighted the question of government loan interest as one of great current importance. Government borrowing levels are high, and reducing interest payments would generate savings to meet other spending needs and/or to lower taxation, thus supporting the sustainability of public finances. However, no previous study has presented a method for a local government to calculate its own credit risk and thus be in a position to negotiate lower interest rates on its borrowing. This article defines a financial model that enables local governments to estimate the interest rate payable on a bank loan, based on their credit risk premium, in accordance with the Basel II rules and the findings of our empirical study of large local governments.

El crecimiento de los microcréditos a nivel mundial, junto con la normativa internacional sobre requerimientos de capital (Basilea II), están impulsando a las instituciones de microfinanzas (IMFs) a una mayor competencia con las entidades bancarias por este segmento de negocio. La banca tradicionalmente ha contado con adecuados modelos de credit scoring para analizar el riesgo de incumplimiento, pero esto no ha sido así en las IMFs supervisadas. El objetivo de esta investigación es diseñar un modelo de credit scoring para una institución sometida a supervisión y especializada en microcréditos, como es la Entidad de Desarrollo de la Pequeña y Micro Empresa (Edpyme) del sistema financiero del Perú. El resultado de la investigación muestra la metodología y fases necesarias para diseñar el modelo, así como el proceso de valoración y validación para que pueda ser aplicado en el área de negocio, especialmente para establecer la política de tasas de interés con clientes. Por último, también se muestra cómo puede utilizarse el modelo para desarrollar una gestión del riesgo de crédito en el marco de los métodos IRB de Basilea II.The growth of microcredit worldwide along with international rules on capital requirements (Basel II) are increasing the competition between microfinance institutions (MFIs) and banks for this business segment. The bank system traditionally has relied on adequate credit scoring models to analyze the risk of payment failures, but this has not been the case in supervised MFIs. The objective of this research is to design a credit scoring model for any institution subjected to supervision and specialized in microcredit as the Development Agency for Small and Micro Enterprise (Entidad de Desarrollo de la Pequeña y Micro Empresa - Edpyme) of the financial system in Peru. The results of this research includes a methodology and the steps needed to design the model, and the assessment and validation process that can be applied in the business area, in particular, to establish an interest rate policy with customers. Eventually, the paper also explains how the model can be used to develop credit risk management under the Basel II IRB approaches. El crecimiento de los microcréditos a nivel mundial, junto con la normativa internacional sobre requerimientos de capital (Basilea II), están impulsando a las instituciones de microfinanzas (IMFs) a una mayor competencia con las entidades bancarias por este segmento de negocio. La banca tradicionalmente ha contado con adecuados modelos de credit scoring para analizar el riesgo de incumplimiento, pero esto no ha sido así en las IMFs supervisadas. El objetivo de esta investigación es diseñar un modelo de credit scoring para una institución sometida a supervisión y especializada en microcréditos, como es la Entidad de Desarrollo de la Pequeña y Micro Empresa (Edpyme) del sistema financiero del Perú. El resultado de la investigación muestra la metodología y fases necesarias para diseñar el modelo, así como el proceso de valoración y validación para que pueda ser aplicado en el área de negocio, especialmente para establecer la política de tasas de interés con clientes. Por último, también se muestra cómo puede utilizarse el modelo para desarrollar una gestión del riesgo de crédito en el marco de los métodos IRB de Basilea II.

The growth of micro-credit along with the excellent conditions to carry out microfinance activity in the economy and financial system of the Republic of Peru are pushing for Microfinance Institutions (IMF) increased competition with banks in this segment business. Like in commercial banks, in microfinance questions such as: is this customer profitable?, What is the credit limit that I must accept to his/her application?, What interest rate should I charge to him/ her?, How I can reduce the risk default?, etc., are matters to be assessed properly. We propose a method that could facilitate improvement in customer qualification between failed and not failed. To this end, we propose a methodology that analyzes credit risk in the provision of microcredit through the design of a credit scoring model that we apply to a Development Agency for Small and Micro Enterprise (EDPYME), which is an IMF under the supervision by the Banking and Insurance Superintendency (SBS). El crecimiento del número de microcréditos junto con las excelentes condiciones para llevar a cabo la actividad microfinanciera en la economía y sistema financiero de la República de Perú están impulsando a las instituciones de microfinanzas (IMF) a una mayor competencia con las entidades bancarias por este segmento de negocio. Al igual que en la banca comercial, en microfinanzas preguntas tales como: ¿conviene este cliente?, ¿cuál es el límite de crédito que debo aceptar a su solicitud?, ¿qué tasa de interés debo cobrar?, ¿cómo puedo reducir el riesgo de impago?, etc., son cuestiones que deben valorarse de forma adecuada. Este trabajo plantea un método que podría facilitar una mejora en la calificación de los clientes fallidos y no fallidos. Para ello, se propone una metodología que analiza el riesgo de crédito en la concesión de microcréditos mediante el diseño de un modelo de credit scoring aplicado a una entidad de desarrollo de la pequeña y micro empresa (EDPYME), IMF sometida a supervisión por la Superintendencia en Bancay Seguros (SBS).