Overview
- The council now projects GDP growth of 0.2% in 2025 and 0.9% in 2026, undershooting the government’s 1.3% view for next year.
- Less than half of the SVIK expenditures qualify as additional investment, leading the advisers to urge clear legal rules, strict ‘additionality’ and independent monitoring.
- The report says 2026 growth will be propped up by higher public spending and more workdays, with inflation near 2.1% and unemployment edging to about 6.1%.
- The economists call for reforms to inheritance and gift taxation and propose a state‑supported ‘Vorsorgedepot’ to build wealth for lower‑income households.
- Member Veronika Grimm files a minority opinion opposing tougher taxes on business inheritances in a weak investment climate, while Chancellor Friedrich Merz says he will pair the fund with deregulation and faster permits.