A Record 288,579 Germans Fled the Country Last Year, No One Should Be Surprised

More than 280,000 German citizens left the country last year. That is a new record. And no one who has been paying attention should be surprised.

According to the Federal Statistical Office, 288,579 Germans moved abroad in the past year – more than ever before. The raw number is alarming enough. What makes it worse is who is leaving. A study by the Federal Institute for Population Research and the University of Duisburg-Essen found that two-thirds of emigrants are under 40. Three-quarters hold a university degree. To put it bluntly: Germany is losing its high performers.

And the reasons are painfully obvious.

Germany, for decades, ran on a simple promise: if you work hard, you will do better than your parents and grandparents. People in their thirties today grew up with that optimism. Now they are finding that the promise no longer holds. Taxes and social contributions keep rising. In return, they get an irresponsibly high mountain of debt, social policy excesses, and a state that is increasingly dysfunctional in everyday life – whether in government offices, the healthcare system, public transportation, or education.

Young, highly educated people are hit hardest. With their above-average incomes, they will be expected to pay down the national debt while simultaneously financing a crumbling pension system. On top of that, the state makes it as difficult as possible for them to build private wealth.

Instead of seriously considering where spending could be cut, left-leaning parties compete over who can squeeze this group even more. The SPD recently proposed extending health insurance contributions to capital gains – one of the last remaining ways for young people to save privately for retirement. Add to that the recurring demands to raise the top tax rate.

For those just starting their careers and trying to build something on their own, the message from Berlin is unmistakable: hard work no longer pays off. Worse, there is an atmosphere that puts achievement – and anyone striving for it – under general suspicion.

No wonder so many Germans see better opportunities abroad. Most of them head to Switzerland.

Of course, not everyone leaves purely out of frustration. Living abroad can be enriching, and some emigrants return later with valuable experience. But the record-high exodus is an unmistakable vote with one's feet.

The government should take this number seriously. Given its demographic and economic situation, Germany cannot afford to drive away its high performers. The state must offer young people a real perspective again – and that will require the courage to undertake genuine structural reforms. Otherwise, it will not just be Germans leaving. It will be Germany's future.

Written by Thorben Thiede