Big Bang Theory

And practice.

Chancellor Friedrich Merz (CDU) has already ruled out a “big bang” of reforms out of consideration for the SPD and a frightened public. However, the verbal de-escalation ahead of the coalition committee meeting should not obscure the extent of the need for action and, above all, who must take the initiative to help Germany emerge from the economic crisis: the SPD, led by Labor and Social Affairs Minister Bärbel Bas, as well as the labor unions. But it won’t work without the cooperation of CSU leader Markus Söder, who is at times very much a social democrat.

German of the day: Armut

That means poverty.

Germany’s poverty rate rises to record high, welfare group says – Germany’s poverty rate rose to a record high of 16.1% in 2025, leaving around 13.3 million people classified as poor, according to a report published on Tuesday by the Paritätische, an umbrella group for charitable organizations.

The figure was up from 15.5% a year earlier and marked the highest level since comparable records began, the association said, citing official data released earlier this year.

Germany to reintroduce longhouses with weaving workshops

After uncovering the remains of a rural settlement dating from the 3rd to 5th centuries CE offering new information about daily life during the final centuries of the Roman Empire…

And considering how Germany today is clearly incapable of introducing the radical economic reforms it needs to continue as a competitive industrialized nation, the helpless German government is considering a proposal by the Greens to reintroduce these ancient longhouses and weaving workshops as an alternative path to progress and prosperity.

Skeptics point out, however, that the huge bureaucratic hurdles blocking a return to such an alternative lifestyle could take several centuries CE to overcome.

German of the day: Insolvenz

That means insolvency. As in bankrupt.

As in Germany’s current coalition government under Friedrich Merz.

“Hardly any of the urgently needed structural reforms that were announced have been implemented. There is no overall plan for concrete reforms to promote growth and competitiveness. Germany’s position as a center of industry is under existential threat.”

Other than that though, the current German government is doing a great job.

All the news that’s fit to print…

And any flavor you want, simultaneously.

Germany is toast! Germany doing better! Whatever.

German ‌industrial production ‌fell unexpectedly ​in March, decreasing by 0.7% ‌from ⁠the previous month, ⁠the federal ​statistics ​office ​said on ‌Friday.

Analysts polled by Reuters had predicted ‌a ​0.5% ​rise.

Germany won’t miss its climate targets for 2026, 2027, 2028…

Because their industries are dying, or already dead.

And this is primarily due to its climate emissions targets.

Germany misses climate targets as emissions barely fall in 2025 – Greenhouse gases dropped just 0.1% last year as environment minister criticises lack of improvement.

Greenhouse gas emissions in Germany have again missed targets set by the Climate Protection Act and barely fell at all in 2025.

Emissions decreased by just 0.1% last year compared to the previous year, according to data from the German Environment Agency.

War damaging German economy almost as much as Germany is

And that’s saying a lot.

Energy bottleneck in Middle East is damaging German economy – Expensive energy, rising prices and disrupted supply chains are all bad news for economic growth. The German government is alarmed by events in the Middle East.

When the US and Israel attacked Iran, the response was not long in coming. Iran is no longer allowing ships to pass through its coastal waters. The Strait of Hormuz, the bottleneck in the Persian Gulf through which 20% of the global oil trade passes every day, is now effectively blocked.

After the attack, the price of oil immediately rose sharply. Prices for gasoline and diesel also skyrocketed at German gas stations. Depending on the region, premium gasoline even went as high €2.50 ($2.89) per liter. The average price for diesel is currently just over €2, which is €0.30 higher than before the attack on Iran.

Rebound?

More like a dead cat bounce.

German Economy Grows by 0.3% in Q4, Stats Office Says – The German ​economy ‌grew ‌by ⁠0.3% in ⁠the fourth quarter ​of ​2025 compared ⁠with ⁠the ⁠previous quarter, the ​statistics ​office ⁠said ⁠on Wednesday, confirming its ⁠preliminary reading.

Meanwhile… German auto exports to China plunged by a third in 2025, economic institute says.