The Call: Can Germany’s Next Government Clear the Hurdles to Recovery?

Germany’s ruling coalition collapsed this month just as Europe’s largest economy faces growing economic challenges. Energy costs are high, productivity is low, and its population is aging even as a backlash is growing against immigration – which is fragmenting the political landscape into increasingly entrenched camps. Signs are emerging that China, the U.S., and other key German export markets are growing and becoming less welcoming. All of this will force Berlin to face long-term challenges that have been building for years, says Judy Dempsey, Senior Fellow at Carnegie Europe, an affiliate of the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, and a former correspondent for multiple publications. “Germany has been living on borrowed time,” Dempsey says.

This episode of The Call aired initially on November 16, 2024.