Al Mayadeen English

  • Ar
  • Es
  • x
Al Mayadeen English

Slogan

  • News
    • Politics
    • Economy
    • Sports
    • Arts&Culture
    • Health
    • Miscellaneous
    • Technology
    • Environment
  • Articles
    • Opinion
    • Analysis
    • Blog
    • Features
  • Videos
    • NewsFeed
    • Video Features
    • Explainers
    • TV
    • Digital Series
  • Infographs
  • In Pictures
  • • LIVE
News
  • Politics
  • Economy
  • Sports
  • Arts&Culture
  • Health
  • Miscellaneous
  • Technology
  • Environment
Articles
  • Opinion
  • Analysis
  • Blog
  • Features
Videos
  • NewsFeed
  • Video Features
  • Explainers
  • TV
  • Digital Series
Infographs
In Pictures
  • Africa
  • Asia
  • Asia-Pacific
  • Europe
  • Latin America
  • MENA
  • Palestine
  • US & Canada
BREAKING
Al Mayadeen's Beirut Bureau chief: Addition of non-military envoy was agreed upon to pursue non-technical matters.
Al Mayadeen's Beirut Bureau Chief: Lebanese Presidency's statement affirms Lebanon's readiness to attend talks in an effective capacity.
Lebanese Presidency: President has assigned former Ambassador Simon Karam to head military technical committee in talks.
Israeli occupation forces carry out an arrest campaign during a raid on Surif, north of Al-Khalil in the southern occupied West Bank.
Syrian Foreign Ministry: Damascus expresses its gratitude to the countries that voted in the UN General Assembly in favor of ending the Israeli occupation of the Syrian Golan.
Ushakov: Russia and the United States agreed not to disclose the substance of the Putin–Witkoff talks.
Ushakov: No specific formulas were discussed during the meeting, but rather the essence of what was included in the US documents.
Ushakov: Several proposals and possible plans for a settlement in Ukraine were presented during the meeting.
Putin’s adviser Yuri Ushakov said the meeting between President Putin and Witkoff was constructive, practical in nature, and highly useful.
Israeli occupation forces stormed the town of Silwad, northeast of Ramallah, and fired at young men as they resisted the raid.

German economy falters, EU rides on coattails

  • By Al Mayadeen English
  • Source: News Website
  • 26 May 2023 15:26
  • 1 Shares
3 Min Read

At the foundation of the German economic crisis is the discrepancy between Germany's aspiration for economic competitiveness and its energy transition track.

  • x
  • German Chancellor Olaf Scholz poses for photographs during the recording of his New Year's speech at the Chancellery in Berlin on Dec. 30 2022 (reuters)
    German Chancellor Olaf Scholz poses for photographs during the recording of his New Year's speech at the Chancellery in Berlin on Dec. 30, 2022 (Reuters)

Germany has been the spearhead of the EU's economy, pulling from Europe from one crisis after another. However, the German economy recently appears to be breaking down, according to a report by Bloomberg. 

The energy crisis in Germany, following decades of flawed energy policy, the ill fate of combustion engine cars, and the stifled transition toward modernized technology, poses a fundamental threat to the North European country and by extension to the EU at large. 

"We've been naïve as a society because everything seems fine, these problems we have in Germany are accumulating. We have a period of change ahead of us; I don't know if everyone realizes this," the Chief Executive of BASF, the largest chemical company in Germany told Bloomberg.

In addition to the energy crisis, bureaucratic inefficiency further exacerbates the crisis. Chancellor Olaf Scholz's loose coalition proved to be ineffective with a recurrent gridlock because of intra-coalition discord over a variety of issues ranging from debt to speed limits. 

The German economy seems to be contracting since October after Russian gas exports were largely reduced. Germany's economy is projected to lag behind the rest of Europe in the years to come, according to the studies of economists. The IMF also estimates Germany will be the worst-performing G7 economy this year. 

However, the chancellor has maintained his optimism for German economic protests. "The prospects for the German economy are very good, we are solving the challenges that face us," Scholz told reporters in Berlin.

At the foundation of the German economic crisis is the discrepancy between Germany's aspiration for economic competitiveness and its energy transition track.

Read more: German gas giant begging for state funding

Back in March, the European Union and Germany struck a deal over the planned phaseout by 2035 of the sale of cars using fossil fuels after a heated row.

For the bloc's 2035 plan to become a "climate neutral" economy by 2025 with net-zero greenhouse gas emissions, it was critical to prohibit new sales of fossil fuel cars. 

Berlin asked Brussels to provide assurances that the law would allow the selling of new cars with combustion engines that run on synthetic fuels. This was the focus of the breakthrough announced. 

Weeks-long negotiations between the European Commission and Germany finally took a turn based on Berlin's desire for a stronger commitment to synthetic fuels.

Read more: German inflation to remain high until end of 2024

Germany is still developing the synthetic fuels it wishes to use while producing low-carbon electricity. German manufacturers hope that this will lead to the extended use of combustion engines.

Industry experts expressed their doubts over whether synthetic fuels-powered vehicles will be able to compete in the market against electric cars, whose prices are to become cheaper.

  • economy
  • Europe
  • Germany
  • European Union

Most Read

13 elite Israeli troops were wounded in a confrontations in Beit Jinn, Syria.

13 elite Israeli troops wounded in confrontations in southern Syria

  • West Asia
  • 28 Nov 2025
Russia and China are not part of the Resistance Front, but they are playing an important role in building structures to bypass US power and thus facilitate a multipolar and freer world. (Al Mayadeen English; Illustrated by Zeinab el-Hajj)

The Resistance Front and BRICS

  • Opinion
  • 29 Nov 2025
Four killed, ten wounded in targeted California shooting in Stockton

Four killed, 10 wounded in 'targeted' California shooting

  • US & Canada
  • 30 Nov 2025
Point-blank killings: 'Israel' executes 2 Palestinian youths in Jenin

Graphic footage: IOF execute 2 Palestinians from point blank in Jenin

  • Politics
  • 27 Nov 2025

Coverage

All
In Five

Read Next

All
Pope Leo XIV waves as he boards a flight back to the Vatican after his visit to Lebanon at Beirut International Airport in Beirut, Lebanon, Tuesday, December 2, 2025 (AP)
Politics

Pope Leo urges Trump to avoid military action in Venezuela

Palestinian journalists carry posters and mock coffins with pictures of their colleagues who were killed during the war on Gaza during a symbolic funeral in the West Bank city of Ramallah, Wednesday, October 8, 2025 (AP)
Politics

Gaza: 257 journalists killed by Israeli occupation since war began

Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro addresses supporters during a swearing-in event for government-organized community committees at the presidential palace in Caracas, Venezuela, Monday, December 1, 2025 (AP)
Politics

Cuba condemns US military threats and intervention in Venezuela

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu delivers a speech at Mt. Herzl, in occupied al-Quds, occupied Palestine, Thursday, October 16, 2025 (AP)
Politics

Netanyahu ties Syria talks to DMZ in occupied Golan Heights

Al Mayadeen English

Al Mayadeen is an Arab Independent Media Satellite Channel.

All Rights Reserved

  • x
  • Privacy Policy
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Authors
Android
iOS