As the undeniable leader of the bloc, the country has spearheaded and supported rescue plans for the Eurozone's weaker links, as well as a number of controversial policies that work towards further centralization within the EU. However, with clouds now gathering over Germany's economic outlook, concerns over potential knock-on effects on the entire monetary union are on the rise.

Falling Below Expectations

Trade tensions, the threat of a hard Brexit and weaker emerging markets growth have all played a part in dampening Germany's nine-year-long economic upswing. 2018 was a trying year for the world's third-largest exporter, as Germany saw its much-celebrated trade surplus shrink. With imports growing faster than exports, the impact of the trade disputes between the US and both China and the European Union has been widely felt by industry leaders.