North Rhine-Westphalia economy faces debate over slow growth

The Landtag is debating the sluggish economic development in North Rhine-Westphalia (NRW). The FDP opposition has criticized the state government, noting that NRW's economic growth is significantly below the national average and trailing other German states.

According to the State Statistical Office IT, NRW's GDP grew by only 0.3 percent in the first half of 2026, compared to a 0.9 percent increase across Germany. Other states showed much stronger performance, with Hessen growing by 1.8 percent and Schleswig-Holstein by 1.7 percent.

The RWI Leibniz Institute for Economic Research has projected growth of 0.5 percent for NRW this year and 0.8 percent for 2027. The FDP warned that despite a slight improvement in business sentiment, there is no sign of a true economic turnaround, citing the loss of approximately 3,000 industrial jobs per month in the region.