Friedrich Merz Criticizes Quality and Accuracy of German Economic Data

Friedrich Merz criticized the quality and accuracy of current German economic statistics on September 22, 2026. The criticism focused on the issue of state subsidies, noting that over 320 billion euros in direct and indirect state subsidies are flowing through various channels into the German economy. Merz also highlighted a contrast between strong order backlogs in the Other Transport Equipment sector and a decline in order volume for the automotive industry.

The claims suggest that economic indicators may be influenced by factors such as defense industry debt and state financial support. This raises questions regarding the true health of the German economy versus debt-financed growth.