Germany's Economy Faces Stagnation as Growth Slows
Analysis reveals decades of slow adaptation and international competition are impacting Europe's largest economy.
Germany's economy, which accounts for roughly one-third of the continent's manufacturing output, has experienced very little growth since 2020. Experts suggest the country's economic struggles are rooted in decades of slow adaptation to modern business practices and a failure to keep pace with international industrial competition.
Evan Davis discussed these challenges on "The Bottom Line" program, featuring insights from a panel of experts. Verena Pausder, Chair of the German Start-Up Association, Nicola Pinder, a business expansion consultant for the German state of Baden-Württemberg, Marcel Fratzscher, President of the German Institute for Economic Research, and Wolfgang Munchau, journalist and author of "Kaput, The End of the German Miracle," contributed to the analysis.
The discussion explored the extent of Germany's economic distress, the underlying reasons for its difficulties, and potential strategies for revival. The program highlighted that these issues have been brewing for decades, indicating a long-term trend rather than a recent downturn.
The episode, titled "Germany: From Wunder to Woe," was broadcast on BBC Radio 4 on October 8, 2026, and is available for over a year. The program's producer was Nick Holland and Sally Abrahams, with sound engineering by Dave O'Neill and Donald MacDonald. Matt Willis served as the editor.