General government debt in Germany increased by €57 billion in 2024 to €2.69 trillion. Central government debt grew the most, by €36 billion. State and local governments recorded an increase of €15 billion and €14 billion, respectively. 

General government debt in Germany increased by €62 billion in 2023 to €2.62 trillion. The basis for this calculation is government debt as defined in the Maastricht Treaty, which is harmonised across the European Union. The increase was similar to that of the previous year, but significantly weaker than in the years before. Central government debt grew by €75 billion, while state government debt continued to fall.

General government debt in Germany as defined by the Maastricht Treaty increased by €71 billion in 2022 to €2.57 trillion. Debt rose at a slower rate than in previous years, with lower needs from the coronavirus pandemic as it came to an end being counteracted by new burdens arising from the energy crisis. Central government debt grew by €97 billion, but state government debt fell markedly. The debt ratio, meaning the ratio of debt to nominal gross domestic product, fell by 2.9 percentage points to 66.4%.

Under the European budgetary surveillance procedure, EU member states are obliged to submit data on general government deficit and debt levels to the European Commission twice a year.

General government debt in Germany increased by €162 billion in 2021 to €2.476 trillion. This was largely a result of government support measures in the second year of the pandemic. The debt ratio, meaning the ratio of debt to gross domestic product, rose from 68.7% to 69.3%.

In the second year of the coronavirus pandemic, general government debt in Germany as defined in the Maastricht Treaty increased by €162 billion to €2.476 trillion. Growth was therefore weaker than in the first year of the coronavirus pandemic.