The German economy is facing ‘a host of challenges’ due to difficult economic conditions around the globe, Chancellor Angela Merkel said on Saturday.
In her weekly video podcast, Merkel gave an overall positive assessment of the state of the economy.
‘At the same time, we know, however, that the [economic] environment worldwide is becoming more gloomy and there are a host of challenges to tackle,’ she said.
‘So naturally we need to be vigilant in order to ensure that the positive direction the economy has taken over the past decade continues.’ A special panel is due on Wednesday to give its annual assessment of developments in Germany's export-driven economy, also Europe's largest.
Economic forecasts issued both by the government and leading think tanks have said that they expect gross domestic product to grow slower this year than previously thought, with global economic tensions one of the principal reasons for this.
