World
German public deficit reaches €71.3bn in H1 2026, exceeding the EU’s 3% threshold
Germany recorded a public deficit of €71.3 billion in the first half of 2026, according to figures published by the Federal Statistical Office (Destatis) on August 25, 2026. The shortfall was equivalent to 3.1% of GDP, exceeding the 3% limit set under the EU Stability and Growth Pact. Germany last crossed this threshold in a first half-year period in 2021, during the Covid crisis. The deficit increased by €36.6 billion compared with the first half of 2025. The federal government alone posted a €48.1 billion financing deficit, up €29 billion year on year.