Particularly the increased flexibility on the labour market helped Germany to come through the crisis in an acceptable shape, and not only stabilised private consumption but also allowed enterprises a smooth handling of the surprisingly vigorous increase in demand in the upturn. However, not all countries of the euro area have weathered the crisis so successfully.
Indeed, the spectrum of economic performance has been rather mixed. The euro area has seen heterogeneity in growth rates before, but now parts are reversed, as Germany currently occupies the role of growth motor in the euro area.