Boy, 11, wins prize for plan to handle break-up of euro

An 11-year-old’s plan to solve one of the key questions at the centre of the European crisis — how to get countries to leave the euro — features unhappy Greeks and pizza.

Dutch schoolboy Jurre Hermans, 11, displays an uncanny grasp of a key issue at the centre of the eurozone crisis in his response to the €250,000 prize offered by Lord Wolfsom to anyone who can answer the question: “If member states leave the Economic and Monetary Union, what is the best way for the economic process to be managed to provide the soundest foundation for the future growth and prosperity of the current membership?”

Hermans tackled the issue of how to incentivise Greeks to return to the drachma and avoid a mass hoarding of euro within the Hellenic state. He suggests any Greeks caught hiding euros should be penalised with a severe fine calculated at twice the value of the euro that Greek hoarders are refusing to exchange.