Germany in economic and political funk, 35 years after fall of Berlin Wall

THIS Saturday’s (Nov 9) 35th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall might, ordinarily, be expected to be a cause for joy in Germany. However, celebration of the milestone will, for many, be much subdued, given the nation’s deep economic and political funk.

Despite the original promise of 1989, which hastened the end of Soviet Communism and led to the reunification of Germany, the nation has recently been given the moniker of “sick man of Europe”.

To be sure, Germany has long had the largest economy in the region, and is the most powerful nation in the European Union, yet its multiple current challenges range from a flatlining economy to a government that may collapse in the coming weeks, ahead of national elections in 2025.