France and Germany are two polar cases in the European debate about rising youth unemployment. Similar to what can be observed in Southern European countries, a 'lost generation' may arise in France. In stark contrast, youth unemployment has been on continuous decline in Germany for many years,...

Germany’s labor market responded only mildly to the Great Recession. Important factors for this development include the strong economic position due to recent labor market reforms, the crisis affecting mainly export-oriented companies, the extension of short-time work, time buffers due to...