Kaput? (Germany on the eve of elections)

Is the German business model kaput? The question is brutal, admittedly, but it reflects concerns about the persistent stagnation of Europe's largest economy. In seven years, Germany has accumulated a growth lag of more than 8 points vs the rest of the eurozone. 2025 could see the gap widen even further. With three weeks to go before the snap elections, all the parties are making roughly the same promises: lower energy prices, loosen budgetary constraints, reduce red tape, strengthen investment. In short, no one denies the seriousness of the structural problems, but the implementation of these promises will, at best, be a long and difficult road.