Shaping the Future – How Does Policy Work for the Younger Generation?
How can we implement reforms and shape investments in future-oriented capital in a way that takes the interests of the younger generations into account? ifo researcher Emilie Höslinger will open the discussion with an overview of the current debate on intergenerational fairness in Germany. She will then join ifo President Clemens Fuest, Max Lucks (Alliance 90/The Greens, Member of the German Bundestag), Carmen Wegge (SPD, Member of the German Bundestag), and Florian Dorn (CSU, Member of the German Bundestag), to discuss the goals the younger generation should pursue and how it can better achieve them in economic and fiscal policy.
Latest News
German Industry Has Lost Nearly Half a Million Jobs Since 2019
Since 2019, German industry has lost nearly half a million jobs subject to social insurance contributions. At the end of 2025, there were 496,000 fewer people working there than at the start of 2019, a drop of 7.1%. In the service sector, on the other hand, more than 2.2 million new jobs were created, primarily in health and social services, and in public administration. “Germany is undergoing an accelerated structural shift. Ironically, the very sectors that have sustained our prosperity up to now are shrinking,” notes Joachim Ragnitz, Managing Director ifo Dresden.
Sentiment in Residential Construction in Germany Less Confident
Sentiment in residential construction in Germany was more pessimistic in September than in August. The business climate fell from -22.5 in August to -25.1 points. Companies are more skeptical above all about business in the coming months, while they rated their current situation as largely unchanged. “The European Central Bank’s rate hike is likely to have dampened confidence in residential construction,” says Klaus Wohlrabe, Head of Surveys at ifo. “The prospect of higher financing costs again is weighing on the industry.”
Targeted Programs Can Help Older Adults Get Out of Unemployment
Tailored programs can help older unemployed people return to work. “Long-term unemployment costs the state twice: It pays out social benefits and loses tax revenues. That’s why even more expensive programs can be worthwhile if they help the unemployed reenter the workforce,” notes ifo researcher Pia Heckl.
ifo Business Climate Rises (September 2026)
Business sentiment in Germany has improved. The ifo Business Climate Index rose to 89.9 points in September, up from 88.8 points in August. Companies assessed their current business situation more positively. Their expectations brightened again. The German economy continues its recovery.
Awards Presented to ifo Researchers
At ifo’s Annual Meeting on June 25, 2026, the ifo Institute awards prizes to ifo researchers for outstanding research achievements, as in previous years. The ifo Outstanding Publication Award was presented to Giuseppe Di Giacomo, Lasha Chargaziia, Yvonne Giesing, Aleksandra Friedl, Maddalena Totarelli, Florian Neumeier, and Sebastian Wichert. Mathias Dolls received the Roland Berger Outstanding Publication Award.
Researchers
ifo Institute is a science hub and also a place where researchers from all over the world come together. It is our researchers who are crucial to our success.
3 Questions for ...
The short interviews in the Annual Report 2025 assemble voices from inside the ifo Institute. They provide an insight into the diverse tasks and topics that move us - and show the people who contribute to the success of our work with their expertise and commitment: in research, management and service.
CESifo Network: Promoting Research Excellence
CESifo is a global network of more than 2000 members who are selected on the basis of their expertise and extensive experience in CESifo's research areas. Members are invited to join the network as Affiliates or Fellows after a research stay at the Center for Economic Studies or the ifo Institute.
EconPol Europe: Evidence-Based Policy Debate
EconPol Europe is CESifo’s economic policy platform. EconPol’s mission is to contribute to the crafting of evidence-based, effective economic policy in the face of the rapidly evolving challenges faced by the European economies and their global partners.
About Us
The ifo Institute wants to help shape the economic policy debate in Germany and Europe. We can do this, because we combine excellent research with economic policy relevance. Our research findings provide policymakers and business leaders with a basis for making informed decisions.
