Part 6/11:
In sharp contrast to the European Union's deficit allowance of 3% of GDP, Germany imposed much tighter restrictions on itself, further stifling growth. It was not until external pressures, particularly the shifts under the Trump administration in the U.S., that Germany reconsidered these proscriptions. Now, a clear shift in fiscal policy allows for greater incentives to invest in defense and infrastructure—however, the skepticism regarding the capacity of these changes to reinvigorate economic growth remains.