After the fall of the Wall, Germany was considered the "sick man of Europe," as the costs of reunification, a failing labor market, and slowing exports signaled that the country's economic downturn could pull the rest of Europe into a crisis.
Now, Germany – the world's fourth-largest economic power and a European middle power – is threatening to fall behind again. The country is facing demographic, geopolitical and economic pressures, such as: the war in Ukraine, rising energy prices, large refugee flows, growing protectionism, excessive bureaucracy, an aging population, a shortage of skilled workers, declining innovation, the risk of losing out on future technologies, and negative economic growth.
If the country fails to address these issues, what are the implications on Europe's economy and security, transatlantic relations, and the global economy?
