14.08.2026 – "Insolvencies are part of a market economy. They are a component of necessary and often painful adjustment processes. However, the current extent must alarm us. Despite the slight decrease in May, the level remains exceptionally high. In the first five months of this year, more companies filed for insolvency than at any point since 2014. Statistically, in Germany, a company now declares insolvency every 20 minutes. This also has structural causes.

Weak domestic economic activity and a challenging international trade environment are presenting companies with immense challenges. At the same time, they must deal with growing competitive pressures both domestically and in global markets while contending with high labour, energy, and bureaucracy costs in Germany. This is draining resources to a critical level. Other figures also underscore this: nearly one in four companies in our latest economic survey reports a decline in equity capital. Among businesses with up to 20 employees, even half report financial difficulties. Additionally, an increasing number of healthy companies are being forced to close because no successor can be found.

With businesses, jobs also disappear. The number of unemployed has climbed back above the three-million mark. This is a red flag. Only competitive companies create and sustain jobs. The government must therefore quickly and reliably relieve companies of burdens, including labour, energy, and bureaucracy costs. Germany's companies need room again to invest, grow, and employ."