German industry loses over 341,000 jobs in 7 years

German industrial sector eliminated over 341,000 jobs in the past seven years as employment losses continue, according to a report released on Monday.

The international audit and consulting firm EY published its "Q1 2026 Industry Barometer" report analyzing the performance of industrial companies in the first quarter of 2026.

The number of employees in German industrial companies decreased by 2.3% (127,300 people) in the first quarter of 2026 compared to the same period last year.

Industrial employment losses in Türkiye's European trade partner reached 341,500 since 2019, the pre-COVID-19 pandemic year.

This decline of over 6% showed that one out of every 17 industrial jobs in the country disappeared.

The automotive sector felt the employment losses most severely.

Employment in the automotive sector decreased by 32,000 people in the last year, while losses since 2019 reached approximately 125,800.

This situation showed that one out of every seven jobs in the automotive industry disappeared since 2019.

The textile sector experienced the largest proportional loss with 22%.

Employment in the metal industry also fell 15% during the same period.

Only two sectors stood out by countering the general negative trend and increasing employment.

Employment increased by 3% in the chemical and pharmaceutical sector and 2% in the electrical sector since 2019.

On the other hand, sales revenues increased by 1.7% in the first quarter of this year compared to the same period last year, following 10 consecutive quarters of decline in German industry.

The sector achieved its last revenue growth in the second quarter of 2023.

EY experts pointed to weak sales in past periods as the main reason for current job cuts.

Whether the slight recovery in the first quarter represents a permanent trend reversal remains uncertain.

The revenue growth recorded in the first quarter resulted largely from the metal sector, which increased its exports by 28% and total sales by 18%.

The automotive industry achieved a slight revenue increase of 2.1%, while the electrical sector recorded a 1.4% rise.

In contrast, the paper sector suffered a 6% sales loss, and the textile sector fell 8%.