There has been skepticism from the beginning regarding the "Riester-Rente" pension scheme because it was not compulsory. From the author's point of view, this skepticism has been confirmed. The lack of commitment to the Riester pension system leads to concrete problems including debatable...

Numerous people in Germany, including politicians and researchers, believe that the gross domestic product (GDP) is an outdated indicator of a society's prosperity. Therefore, at the end of 2010, the German Bundestag, the federal parliament, established a study commission (Enquete-Kommission)...

Anlässlich der Fußballweltmeisterschaft 2006 hatte das DIW Berlin zusammen mit der Freien Universität Berlin erstmals den Transfer- Marktwert der Mannschaften als ein einfaches und transparentes Kriterium für die Prognose der Ergebnisse großer Fußball-Turniere vorgeschlagen. Und...

The health system and the various healthcare markets are characterized by a number of special features requiring a high degree of government regulation. Giving all sections of the population access to healthcare services, and doing this cost-effectively and affordably, is a political challenge...

Today, Germany's citizens are happier on average than at any other point in time since reunification. Even though more than 20 years have passed, the average level of happiness in eastern Germany is still significantly lower than that in western Germany. This is demonstrated by the most recent...