Social Immobility: The housing shortage is a core of German problems

The fact that politicians fail to slow down the rise in housing costs has major consequences for the social fabric. It is the linchpin of an overall negative development.

Rents in Germany are rising and rising. The share of the available household income that has to be spent on housing is now 30 to 40 percent. Young families up to the middle class can no longer afford to build houses or buy homes. Fear of rising living costs is currently the biggest concern of Germans. It grew last year from 52 to 59 percent; in fifth place follows the fear that housing will be priceless.