Overview

• Thuringian auto suppliers face a sustained downturn and will not see significant improvement without diversifying into new business fields.
• Markus Behrens says many firms already have the expertise to enter defense production under planned federal spending.
• The federal government plans to invest billions of euros in defense, promising secure orders to underpin a labour-market recovery from 2026.
• Billions pledged for infrastructure modernization could serve as another stabilizing anchor if those funds are deployed.
• Persistently high electricity and gas prices remain the principal obstacle to a swift jobs recovery in Thuringia.