More than half of Germany's medium-sized companies expect an economic downturn next year, according to a survey by the BVMW business association.
Christoph Ahlhaus, the association's chief executive, said on Saturday that "superficial reforms are no longer enough to get Germany back on track."
He said businesses expect the federal government to finally deliver on long-promised structural reforms and concrete relief measures in areas such as bureaucracy, the labour market, taxation and energy costs.
According to the survey, 54% of companies expect an economic slowdown, while only 22% anticipate an upswing. In addition, 42% of respondents said they plan to scale back investment in 2026, the association said.
Medium-sized companies, known as the Mittelstand, form the backbone of Germany's economy and account for a large share of employment and investment.
The German economy contracted in 2023 and 2024, while growth is forecast to be minimal this year and no meaningful recovery is expected in 2026.
The BVMW surveyed more than 1,000 Mittelstand companies in an online poll conducted between December 18 and 23.
latest_posts
- 1
Artemis II's moon-bound astronauts capture Earth's brilliant blue beauty as they leave it behind - 2Doctor's orders: Eat ice cream, and other tips for a long and healthy life
- 3Senegal limits foreign trips for officials as the fallout from Iran war deepens
- 4Italy fertility rate fell to new low of 1.14 in 2025
- 52024 Manual for Light Extravagance Room Feel: What's Moving
- Activists Took BMW and Mercedes to Court Over Gas Cars. It Didn’t Stick
- Huge Iranian missile fragments, intercepted by air defenses, lay scattered across Israel, West Bank
- Lilly becomes first healthcare firm to join trillion-dollar club, Wall Street reacts
- First Houthi launch toward Israel since war began triggers alerts across the Negev
- Israel kidnaps PIJ terrorist in covert op. in Hamas-controlled Gaza in pursuit of Ran Gvili
- Israel's ban on unsupervised reporters in Gaza causes strategic harm to legitimacy
- Midlife weight gain can start long before menopause – but you can take steps early on to help your body weather the hormonal shift
- Vote In favor of Your Number one Savvy Beds
- 'We were genuinely astonished': This moss survived 9 months outside the International Space Station and could still grow on Earth
