Part 5/8:
Compounding these issues are significant demographic challenges. Germany’s fertility rate hovers close to 1.4, a stark decline compared to the replacement level of 2.1. While the United States faces its own demographic challenges with a fertility rate of 1.6, Germany's situation is exacerbated by what can be described as an uncontrolled influx of foreign nationals. In recent years, particularly during Angela Merkel’s chancellorship, between one to two million illegal immigrants have entered Germany, leading to a population in which approximately 20% is foreign-born.