Not only because 80 percent of that amount returns in the form of contracts for German companies, but also because it demonstrably exercises a market-opening function for the German export economy and hence creates jobs in Germany. Without bilateral development cooperation, up to 240,000 jobs in Germany would be threatened. Everything else is icing on the cake. Spranger said that, for example, development projects were not given funding subject to the condition that the required materials or services be bought in Germany. Economic upswing in Germany continues The German economy has continued to grow during the past half-year, but by much less over the summer than in the first three months of the year.
Economic statistics can be divisive, especially during an election campaign.
The SPD is highlighting the numbers from the Federal Statistics Office in Wiesbaden which indicate that growth was up 4.3 percent in January, February, and March, but only 1.7 percent in April, May, and June. The Opposition sees this as confirmation that economic recovery in not yet building on firm ground. The federal government was hit with harsh criticism of its health policies today. Two and a half weeks before the federal election, the public health insurance companies presented their judgement of recent reforms to the health care system, and it was clearly negative, including calls to rescind numerous new regulations, including the one governing the billing of dentures. In a joint position paper for the federal election, the management organizations for the public health insurers, which insure about 90 percent of German citizens, accused the government of failed health care policies.