Highest surplus since reunification – FAZ – Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung

The robust economy allows the Treasury to ring vigorously and brought Germany the largest surplus since reunification. The bottom line took government, states, municipalities and social funds around EUR 19.4 billion more than they spent a. In terms of total economic output the plus thus fell 0.6 percent even slightly larger than the assumed in the January estimate 0.5 percent, the Federal Statistics Office reported in Wiesbaden on Tuesday.

A higher percentage excess there were 0.9 percent of nominal gross domestic product (GDP) only in 2000. at that time the special auction of UMTS mobile phone licenses had the public coffers filled vigorously. In absolute terms, the surplus in 2000 was about 18.2 billion euros.

In the past year benefited Europe’s largest economy of the good situation on the labor market and consumer sentiment. Taxes and social contributions filled the public coffers vigorously

The second billion surplus in a row -. 2014 it was 8.9 billion euros or 0.3 percent of GDP – Germany is far away from the debt ceiling, which Europeans concede (Maastricht contracts). Allowed is a maximum of a deficit of 3.0 percent. Recently Germany had missed that mark in 2010 with a decline of 4.2 percent

At the end kept the German economy with 0.3 percent increase the previous quarter its growth course -. Thanks to more upmarket consumer and government spending for the care of hundreds of thousands refugees. Here confirmed the Wiesbaden statisticians first calculations. In total 2015 put Germany’s economic output by 1.7 percent to – by 1.6 percent a year earlier

Growth was October-December mainly from the domestic market: Because of the interest rate lows to traditional savings worth barely. , therefore many people spend their money rather. Because refueling and heating is relatively inexpensive because of low oil prices, individuals also have more money for consumption left.

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the billion expenditure of federal, state and local authorities to tackle the refugee immigration to boost the economy: In the fourth quarter, consumer spending rose sharply. Many economists evaluate the immigration of people from Syria, Iraq or Afghanistan as a stimulus program – also in 2016.

However, the headwinds for the German economy is growing.. Important markets such as China falter, came last and from the United States weaker economic data. Still, most economists see Germany in the current year on a robust growth path. Federal Government and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) expect GDP growth in the order of 1.7 percent.