Overview

• Only 7% now rate Leipzig "very good" and 46% "good," down from 15% and 69% in 2019, the joint IHK–Handwerkskammer analysis finds.
• Firms report the sharpest declines in administrative processing, inner‑city traffic, and the burden of energy prices, fees, levies and taxes.
• The average grade slipped from 2.1 to 2.6, based on responses from 291 member companies surveyed from November 2024 to January 2025.
• Despite the slide, the analysis still places Leipzig among Germany’s attractive locations, with cultural diversity, a lively center and quality of life cited as strengths by IHK president Kristian Kirpal.
• Mayor Burkhard Jung says the city takes the findings seriously and notes roughly a quarter of municipal revenue comes from trade tax, with no specific policy changes announced.