As Germany enters the final week of election campaign, the economy is a top concern for voters. Having long been Europe’s manufacturing powerhouse, the country has shown no meaningful growth since the pandemic and capped 2024 with a second consecutive annual GDP contraction. We take a closer look at what’s been holding the German economy back. Plus, Alibaba founder Jack Ma, a Chinese tech icon turned Beijing’s crackdown target, was seen shaking hands with President Xi Jinping.
