Der Rat der Europäischen Zentralbank (EZB) erhielt durch den Bundesbankpräsidenten und den Rechtsdienst der EZB eine erste Information. Die EZB nimmt das heutige Urteil des Bundesverfassungsgerichts zum Programm für den Ankauf von Wertpapieren des öffentlichen Sektors (PSPP) zur Kenntnis.

According to Bundesbank Executive Board member Joachim Wuermeling, the situation is stable. “The current crisis shows that we, as supervisors, have learned the right lessons from the last crisis. Many of the measures, which, in some cases, came under sharp criticism, are now proving to be worth their weight in gold,” according to Mr Wuermeling.

General government debt in Germany was down by €16 billion in 2019 to €2.053 trillion. The debt ratio – the ratio of debt to nominal gross domestic product – therefore fell to 59.8%, dropping below the Maastricht Treaty’s reference value of 60% for the first time since 2002. However, given the coronavirus pandemic and the associated costs, general government debt will rise again sharply in 2020.