Are Germans lazy? Their leader wants them to work more
One of the favorite narratives among liberal and conservative circles in Germany is that the country's economic decline is to blame on Germans falling out of love with work.
Friedrich Merz, the new chancellor, placed the issue at the top of his priorities for reviving the stagnating economy, which has not grown in five years. "We must, in this country, work more again and, above all, more efficiently. It is not with the four-day week and 'work-life balance' that we will be able to maintain our prosperity!" he declared at the economic forum of his party, the Christian Democratic Union (CDU), in mid-May, drawing protests from unions.
Since then, the whole country has been questioning its supposed laziness, haunted by a study from the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) that is circulating widely. The study ranks Germans at the bottom among the 34 member countries, with 1,343 hours worked per person per year, compared to 1,500 in France, 1,803 in Poland, and 1,897 in Greece.
Are Germans lazy? Some experts put this analysis into perspective. First, the hours measured and the international rankings are disputed. The OECD itself notes that its chart should only be used for time comparisons "because of differences in sources and methods of calculation" between countries. A 2023 study by Rexecode, which avoids these biases, placed Germany in the average range among Northern European countries. Above all, with 46 million working people, the total number of hours worked in Germany is at a record high.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Euronews
a day ago
- Euronews
Which countries have the highest and lowest pensions in Europe?
Pensions are the main source of income for older people in Europe, according to the OECD's Pension at a Glance 2023 report. In many European countries, public transfers—such as state pensions and benefits—account for over 70% of older adults' total equivalised gross household income, exceeding 80% in some cases. So, how much do Europeans receive in old-age pensions? What is the average pension expenditure per beneficiary? And how do pension levels compare across Europe when adjusted for purchasing power? According to Eurostat, in 2022, the average pension expenditure per beneficiary for old-age pensions was €16,138 in the EU. This equals approximately €1,345 per month when divided over 12 months. It ranged from €3,611 in Bulgaria to €31,385 in Luxembourg within the EU. When EFTA and EU candidate countries are included, the range widens—from €1,648 in Albania to €35,959 in Iceland. The average old-age pension per beneficiary also exceeded €30,000 in two Nordic countries: Norway and Denmark. It was also significantly above the EU average in Sweden (€22,436) and Finland (€21,085). Besides Albania, EU candidate countries have the lowest average pensions. These include Turkey (€2,942), Bosnia and Herzegovina (€3,041), Serbia (€3,486), and Montenegro (€3,962). Montenegro ranks just above Bulgaria, but only by a small margin. These are annual figures, not monthly, demonstrating the wide gap between the lowest and highest pension levels in Europe. The EU's 'Big Four' economies ranked consecutively, all above the EU average. Italy had the highest average pension among them at €19,589, followed by France (€18,855), Spain (€18,100), and Germany (€17,926). Average pension figures show that: There's a strong East-West divide, with Western and Nordic Europe offering much higher pension benefits. The Southern European countries generally fare better than Eastern ones but still trail behind Northern Europe. The poorest performers are concentrated in the Balkans and Eastern EU, particularly among EU candidate countries. Inequalities in average pensions are significantly narrower when measured in purchasing power standards (PPS) compared to nominal terms. For example, within the EU, the ratio between the highest and lowest average pension is 8.8 in nominal terms, but it drops to 3.5 in PPS, reflecting differences in living costs. In the EU, average pension expenditure per beneficiary ranged from 5,978 PPS in Slovakia to 21,162 PPS in Austria. When non-EU countries are included, Albania had the lowest figure at 3,019 PPS. Turkey ranked significantly higher in PPS terms, with 8,128 PPS—placing it above several EU member states. All Nordic countries are above the EU average in pension spending, with some ranking among the highest in Europe. In euro terms, the average pension fell in only three countries in 2022 compared to 2021—and by less than 5%. These were Turkey, Ireland, and Greece. In Turkey, the decline was primarily due to a sharp depreciation of the national currency, which affected the euro value of pensions. In contrast, Bulgaria saw the largest increase at 33%, followed by Czechia with 16%. Pension growth also exceeded 10% in Latvia, Lithuania, Montenegro, and Romania. Old-age pensions are periodic payments intended to i) maintain the income of the beneficiary after retirement from paid employment at the legal or standard age or ii) support the income of elderly people. According to the 2024 Pension Adequacy Report, jointly prepared by the European Commission and the Social Protection Committee, EU countries are taking further steps to safeguard adequacy, but future adequacy remains under pressure. Pension replacement rates for a given career are projected to decline over the next four decades. The risk of poverty and social exclusion among older people has continued to rise since 2019, mainly driven by increasing relative income poverty. In 2022, more than one in five people aged 65 and over in the EU—about 18.5 million individuals—were at risk of poverty or social exclusion. This number is growing due to both the rising poverty rate and the ageing population. Across much of Europe, pension income falls well below pre-retirement earnings. This gap makes it hard for many older adults to maintain their standard of living after they stop working. The report shows that older women face higher poverty risks than men in every EU country. On average, women in the EU receive 26.1% less pension income than men, and 5.3% of women receive no pension at all. These gaps are rooted in gender pay disparities, shorter or interrupted careers, and a higher incidence of part-time work among women. Nvidia reported first-quarter earnings for fiscal year 2026 that exceeded market expectations and provided an upbeat outlook for the current quarter. This comes despite an estimated $8 billion (€7.1 billion) loss due to US chip export restrictions affecting sales to China. Nvidia's share price jumped nearly 5% in after-hours trading, placing it just 8% below its all-time high in January. Year-to-date, the stock is set to return to a positive return amid the price surge. Nvidia is now the world's biggest company, surpassing Microsoft and Apple in market capitalisation. 'Investors entered this quarter looking for signs that Nvidia could alleviate short-term concerns. What they received was a clear message that demand remains robust,' said Josh Gilbert, a market analyst at eToro Australia. Sales revenue from Nvidia's core business, data centres, increased by 73% year-on-year to $39.1 billion (€34.7 billion), reaching a new record. However, this represented a deceleration from 93% growth in the previous quarter. Despite the slower pace, the result aligned with market expectations, as some analysts had anticipated weaker figures due to regulatory headwinds. Overall revenue rose 69% to $44.1 billion (€39.2 billion), while earnings per share came in at $0.96 (€0.85), both ahead of expectations. CEO Jensen Huang attributed the sustained growth to strong global demand for artificial intelligence (AI), particularly from major cloud service providers. Nvidia's most advanced AI chip, Blackwell, 'is now in full-scale production across system makers and cloud service providers,' said Huang. 'Global demand for Nvidia's AI infrastructure is incredibly strong. AI inference token generation has surged tenfold in just one year, and as AI agents become mainstream, the demand for AI computing will accelerate. Countries around the world are recognising AI as essential infrastructure—just like electricity and the internet—and Nvidia stands at the centre of this profound transformation,' he added. The company expects revenue of $45 billion (€40 billion), plus or minus 2%, for the current quarter. 'This outlook reflects a loss in H20 revenue of approximately $8.0 billion due to the recent export control limitations,' it stated. The US government required Nvidia to obtain export licences for its H20 GPUs destined for China during the first quarter. Although the H20 chips had previously been approved, the new rules led to $4.5 billion (€4 billion) in write-downs due to excess inventory. Without this, the company would have generated an additional $2.5 billion (€2.2 billion) in sales. As a result, Nvidia's gross margin for the first quarter stood at 61%. It would have been 71.3% had the charges not occurred. 'The $50 billion China market is effectively closed to the US industry,' Huang said. 'As a result, we are taking a multibillion-dollar write-off on inventory that cannot be sold or repurposed.' Nvidia expects a non-GAAP gross margin of 72.0%, plus or minus 50 basis points, for the current quarter. For context, the margin was 73.5% in the fourth quarter of 2024 and 79% during the same quarter of the previous fiscal year. In an interview with Bloomberg TV, Huang noted that Nvidia is exploring alternatives to the H20 chip. However, the company must obtain approval from the US government for any such measures. Nvidia is among the tech giants supporting President Donald Trump's ambitious AI initiatives in the United States, announced in January. The company also unveiled a partnership with Saudi Arabia's HUMAIN to build AI factories in the kingdom during a recent visit to the region that coincided with Trump's trip. These developments were highlighted in the earnings report in the section for data centre. 'While sales in China are clouded by export restrictions, the Middle East looks set to become the new launchpad for Nvidia's next phase of growth,' Gilbert added.
LeMonde
2 days ago
- LeMonde
War in Ukraine: Germany announces new financial and military cooperation with Kyiv
Instead of approving the delivery of the highly controversial Taurus long-range missiles to Ukraine – a topic that has stirred much debate in Germany – the new German chancellor, Friedrich Merz, announced new financial and military cooperation between Berlin and Kyiv on Wednesday, May 28, during a visit by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to the German capital. The two countries will jointly produce long-range missiles, capable of striking deep inside Russian territory. Later in the day, German and Ukrainian defense ministers announced the agreement. "Ukraine will thus be able to defend itself, even against military targets outside its own territory," Merz explained Wednesday in Berlin during a joint press conference with Zelensky. "This is the beginning of a new form of military-industrial cooperation between our countries." Few details were provided about the specifics of the agreement, and that was partly intentional: Since Merz took office on May 6, the new doctrine in place at the chancellery has been to speak as little as possible in public about arms deliveries, both to maintain a degree of strategic ambiguity and to avoid fueling a complex political debate within Germany.
Euronews
2 days ago
- Euronews
The long-range weapons Ukraine could begin using against Russia
Ukraine is no longer prohibited from using long-range weapons on targets within Russia in the ongoing effort to repulse its invasion, one of its key European allies signalled on Monday. In the past, Ukraine received long-range missiles from the US, UK, Germany, and France, but was only allowed to use them against any Russian forces that were in occupied Ukrainian territory. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz told journalists that the lifting of restrictions - which, he later clarified, was a decision made months ago - will make "the decisive difference in Ukraine's warfare". "A country that can only oppose an attacker on its own territory is not defending itself adequately," he said. Following Merz's comments, Euronews Next takes a look at which weapons Ukraine can now use unrestricted, and how they might impact the course of the war now in its fourth year. The Army Tactical Missile Systems (ATACMS) is a long-range surface-to-surface missile artillery weapon system that strikes targets "well beyond the range of exising Army canons," according to US manufacturer Lockheed Martin. The missiles on the system are "all-weather adaptable, stealthy firepower" against targets up to 300 km away. The missiles are fired either from the High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS) or MLRS M270 platforms, both produced by Lockheed Martin. The Russian Defence Ministry confirmed in November 2024 that it had shot down some of the first foreign-made long-range missiles fired directly into their territory, including six US-made Army Tactical Missile Systems (ATACMS). But it was not the first time Ukraine had fired them. Reports from as far back as October 2023 suggest Ukraine fired ATACMS missiles that reportedly destroyed nine helicopters at Russian bases in the eastern part of the country. The Storm Shadow, or SCALP to the French, is a long-range missile jointly manufactured between France and the UK that weighs 1,300 kg and has a range "in excess" of 250 km. European multinational manufacturer MBDA said the missile works well for pre-planned attacks against stationary targets, like hardened bunkers or key infrastructure. The missile is described by MBDA as offering a high-precision strike day or night because it combines GPS, onboard guidance systems, and terrain mapping to find its target. Once the Storm Shadow missile approaches a target, an infrared device matches an image of the target with stored pictures on its onboard hard drive to make sure the target matches its mission, MBDA said. The missile's warhead has a first charge that allows it to penetrate a bunker or clear soil, then after it lets out a fuze to control how the ordnance detonates. It's already in service with the UK, French, and Italian militaries, MBDA said. In Germany, much of the conversation has centred on supplying Ukraine with Taurus missiles. The Taurus KEPD 350, manufactured jointly by Swedish company Saab and MBDA Deutschland, is an "incomparable modular standoff missile" that can land precision strikes on stationary targets like bunkers and high-value targets like large radar stations. The Taurus flies at low terrain to penetrate thick air defenses and shoot down targets with a 481 kg warhead system called the MEPHISTO. The air-to-surface missile system has a range of over 500 km and weighs 1400 kg. Before Germany's last federal election held in February, Merz, as leader of the Christian Democratic Union (CDU) party, had called for the delivery of Taurus missiles to Ukraine. Merz has now signalled that Ukraine and Germany would produce the "This will be a cooperation on an industrial level, which can take place both in Ukraine and here in Germany," Merz said. While restrictions on long-range weapons have been lifted, Merz declined to confirm if Germany would be delivering Taurus missiles to Kyiv or not. In the early morning of April 29, people in Kourou, French Guiana, were woken up by the roar of the Vega-C rocket as it carried Biomass, the latest satellite from the European Space Agency (ESA), successfully into space. The Biomass mission not only represents a leap forward in the scientific understanding of tropical forests, but its launch also marked a major step toward securing Europe's independent access to space. Euronews Tech Talks was on site in Kourou for the launch, and with this second special episode on Biomass, we bring you behind the scenes of the launch preparations. The operations on the day of the launch of a satellite, also referred to as D-Day, are just the tip of the iceberg in a long process to get it into space. In the case of Biomass, the project started more than a decade ago and involved several professionals who dedicated their competencies to building the satellite, developing the rocket, and coordinating every step up to and after April 29. Launch preparations began as early as March 7, when Biomass arrived in French Guiana after a two-week voyage across the Atlantic Ocean. Upon arrival in Kourou, the satellite was transported to the spaceport, removed from its shipping container, and thoroughly inspected for any potential damage. Next, Biomass was fuelled and attached to the adapter that would connect it to the Vega-C rocket, enabling its journey into orbit. On April 14, Biomass was placed inside the fairing, the top part of the rocket, then transferred to the launch pad at the Tangara site. There, the fairing containing the satellite was placed on the Vega C launcher, followed by more checks and a practice run known as the dress rehearsal. With all checks completed, it was time for the first weather forecast, a crucial step in the process. "We need good weather conditions to authorise the launch," explained Jean Frédéric Alasa, launch range operations director at CNES, the French Space Agency. "The rain is not a major constraint, it's more about the wind. If the launcher were to explode, we want to make sure the debris falls far from the populated areas," he continued. Luckily, on April 29, the wind was very mild, and the satellite launch was authorised. Vega C lifted off at 6:15:52 AM local time in Kourou. This time was precisely calculated and had to be respected to bring the satellite into the correct orbit. "For all the SSO missions, there is no launch window, but just one time at which the satellite can be lifted off," Fabrizio Fabiani, head of the Vega programme at Arianespace, explained. "Each day could be a good day, but at the same instant". SSO stands for sun-synchronous orbit, a special type of orbit where the satellite maintains the same position relative to the Sun. Essentially, Biomass passes over the same location on Earth at the same time every day. This orbit is ideal for monitoring changes over time, which is why it is commonly used for several Earth observation satellites. Biomass's launch was successful and greeted with great excitement by those who worked on it for years. When the satellite and rocket fully separated, the team erupted into cheers, celebrating the mission's success. "I've indeed been working for 12 years on that mission and now, at the end of it, I would say the predominant sentiment is that I'm super grateful and humbled that I was allowed to do that job," Michael Fehringer, ESA's Biomass project manager, told Euronews. "I feel relieved... that's all we could ask for, that's the best result we could have," Justin Byrne, Airbus head of science and Mars programmes, shared with us. But while most celebrated, one team remained focused on the mission. Which team was it, and why? Listen to Euronews Tech Talks to find out the answer.
