Germany is a leader in social spending, although it is in last place in education. Portugal does not enter these accounts.
When talking about countries that spend more money on expenses related to the social security, with social welfare, the first examples that come up in conversation will be the Nordics.
But the numbers show that the leader is another: Germany allocates a slightly higher portion of its government budget to social security, compared to “model countries” Denmark, Sweden, Norway, Finland and Iceland.
41% of Germany’s total budget goes to social security, reveals the German Economic Institute, in a study published by the newspaper. The calculations were made in this century, between 2001 and 2023.
The mentioned countries nordic, in addition to Austria e Switzerland, spend 40% in social security. THE average in the European Union is 39%.
Almost half of German social security funds go to old age pensions.
Germany invests 16% in health in general, the same value as the Nordics and also Belgium, the Netherlands and Luxembourg.
Germany leads when accounts combine social security expenditure and security in old age.
But the Germans are in last place in education: 9.3% of the total budget. By comparison, Austria and Switzerland lead with almost 15%. In public investment, the Germans also lag behind, with 6.2% of the total budget.
The study also shows that spending on public service They are particularly high in Germany: from 7.2% at the beginning of the century to 11% two years ago.
Portugal is not on the list. The German Economic Institute’s comparison was made with Denmark, Sweden, Norway, Finland, Iceland, Belgium, the Netherlands, Luxembourg, Austria and Switzerland – which are similar to Germany in terms of economic development and cultural characteristics.
