German of the day: alles bestens

That means everything is fine, cool, hunky-dory.

Falling industrial output for three straight months ain’t no big deal, says German Green Vice Chancellor Robert Habeck. And “not everything is bad,” he added. Wow. That’s actually unbridled optimism for a Green.

Habeck defends German economy as output drops – Vice Chancellor Robert Habeck said Germany remains a “highly attractive location” for investors. But the statistics agency said industrial output fell for a third straight month, and that wasn’t the only negative news.

Slowcession?

Is that like shrinkflation?

Because Germany is definitely suffering from that.

Is Germany’s great economy sinking into ‘slowcession’? Key data this week will offer a hint as to whether the eurozone’s powerhouse can shake off recent stagnation.

Engine of the eurozone, industrial powerhouse, export world champion – just some of the ways Germany’s economy has been described over the years.

However, recent figures have indicated that the good times have come to an end, with Europe’s largest economy stuck in recession.

It’s not a slowdown…

It’s more like a Vollbremsung. That’s German for full braking or emergency stop.

Germany’s highest court just cancelled the Green’s latest rush-rush trick, I mean plan to save the planet at German taxpayers’ expense.

Germany’s Green Slowdown – While voters may still broadly support net zero goals, they’re not necessarily on board with the escalating costs of the transition.

… Today, it’s the Greens’ proposed ban on new gas boilers in homes that’s causing trouble. Against a backdrop of sliding poll ratings, the party’s partners in the coalition forced a dilution of the plan last month in a package that also included a massive road-building program.

In another blow to the policy — dubbed Habeck’s Heating Hammer by the opposition — Germany’s constitutional court has made a highly unusual intervention in the legislative process and ordered the government to give parliament more time to scrutinize the plan.

German Of The Day: Schrumpfen

That means to shrink.

You know. As in the Sick Man of Europe? The Incredible Shrinking (or was it Sinking) Country?

German Economy Shrinks Faster Than Expected – It’s a rare thing to happen, but Germany now looks like the sick man of Europe, a phrase previously often used to describe Britain.

The health of the business sector dropped significantly in June, according to recent data. The Ifo Business Climate index for Germany, which measures the health of the commercial sector, registered 88.5 in June, down from 91.5 in May. Higher numbers show economic strength, whereas lower ones show a weakening of the economy.

Speaking of sinking…

Talk The Talk

But walk the walk? And give up one of my many annual vacations, say?

Thanks, but we’ll just stick to the talking, if you don’t mind.

This, folks, is “saving the planet” rhetoric in a nutshell.

Germans Want Climate Policy – Just Not in Their Homes. A new law about home heating reveals political constraints on the energy transition.

Polls show that Germans are earnestly worried about the climate crisis and in favor of more climate action. The fallout of global warming is one of their most pressing concerns, indeed as it is across Europe. And yet, when it comes to modifying their lifestyles or paying higher prices to curb emissions, most say they’re not willing, or only as much as it doesn’t sting.

German Of The Day: Hiobsbotschaft

Literally, “Job of the Bible’s message.” Bad news, in other words. Evil tidings.

HIOBSBOTSCHAFT FOR GERMAN ECONOMY: Industrial Production Surprisingly Down Sharply.

Germany’s Industrial Plunge Revives Winter Recession Fears – German industrial production sank by the most in a year — raising the risk that Europe’s largest economy slipped into a winter recession.

Output dropped 3.4% in March, more than the 1.5% decline economists had predicted in a Bloomberg survey. The decrease was especially pronounced in the automotive sector, according to the statistics office.

German Of The Day: Schlechte Laune

The good news? Germans still have schlechte Laune (they’re still in a bad mood).

The bad news? They’re not in as bad a mood as they ought to be.

German consumer morale slows down on path to recovery – German consumer sentiment is set to nudge up in April as energy prices have relented somewhat from record highs, though a full recovery is not in sight anytime soon, showed a GfK institute survey on Wednesday.

The institute forecast its consumer sentiment index to improve to -29.5 heading into April from a revised reading of -30.6 in March, slightly below the expectations of analysts polled by Reuters of -29.0.

“Kinder Statt Inder” Didn’t Work

A German politician’s unfortunate slip twenty years ago, “children instead of Indians,” certainly didn’t work.

Demographics can be a bitch.

Germany aims to ease visa process for India’s IT workers – Berlin wants to encourage information technology experts from India to come and work in Germany. The plan would be to make it easier for them to come to the country with their families.

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said on Sunday that his government wants to ease the path for information technology experts from India to obtain work visas in Germany.

While Germany faces a shortfall in skilled worker numbers, India cannot always provide jobs for its large, young population.

More Engineers And Scientists Are On The Way

Thanks to Germany’s clever immigration policy.

The avalanche Angela Merkel set off back in 2015 is finally starting to pay off!

Shortage of engineers, scientists threatens German industry – Germany’s homegrown population is declining, and with it the number of science and engineering students.

German engineering is known worldwide for its quality and innovation. But that brand is under threat. The number of students beginning university degrees in STEM fields — shorthand for science, technology, engineering, and math — fell 6% in just one year, according to a recent study from the nation’s federal statistics agency.