Germany's population shrank by approximately 110,000 people in 2025, the first calendar-year reduction since 2020, the Federal Statistical Office (Destatis) reported on Tuesday. The total population stood at 83.5 million at the end of the year.

Reduced net migration — with 235,000 more people moving to the country than leaving — was insufficient to offset the 352,000 excess of deaths over births. Germany's birth rate hit a record low last year.

Population decline was more pronounced in the former East German states (0.5% or 57,000 people) compared to western states (0.1% or 68,000). Only the city-states of Berlin, Bremen, and Hamburg recorded population growth.

The population continued to age: the 60-79 age group grew by 358,000 people, while the primary tax-paying age group (20-59) shrank by 1.0% or 409,000 people.

Chancellor Friedrich Merz, attending the G7 summit in France, presented US President Donald Trump with a German national team jersey bearing Trump's name and the number 47 — a reference to his tenure as the 47th president. The gift coincided with Trump's 80th birthday and the US co-hosting the World Cup.

Key issues at the G7 summit include a potential peace deal with Iran and Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Fuel prices have dipped amid news of a possible US-Iran agreement, though temporary tax cuts also play a role.

Source: www.dw.com