Germany is in recession, France is in economic decline, and now, experts say, the victim of the last financial crisis in Europe can become a growth leader. Which state is in question, the publication reports Gazeta.Pl .
We are talking about Spain, which showed GDP growth of 3.5% in the fourth quarter of 2024. Economists call this indicator a real surprise, as it turned out to be better than expected (+3.2%). In addition, the statistical office of Spain revised upward the data for the third quarter — up to 3.5% from the previous 3.3%. The forecast also exceeds the estimates of the official Madrid and the Central Bank of Spain, which at the beginning of the year assumed GDP growth of 2.4%.
But while Spain is showing the highest economic growth in the Eurozone, Germany is in recession. According to experts' expectations, the German economy is likely to shrink by -0.1% year-on-year and by 0.3% in the last quarter of 2024. France has slightly better results — 0.7% in the "plus" at the end of the year.
But what helped Madrid achieve such a result? Spain's GDP growth was facilitated by an increase in private consumption, thriving tourism, agricultural production and active exports. Economic growth is also significantly supported by active migration, which fills gaps in the labor market of an aging country.