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The article questions why the German government, which produces many reports, produces none on absolute and relative poverty. Several speculations as to why are offered, but the author concludes that ignorance of the issue is an electoral safeguard. He questions who should hypothetically be reported on, the status of poverty reporting in Germany, and what internationally comparative data might reveal.

The article discusses poverty and low wage earners in Germany. Defining low income as 51%-75% of the average wage, the author suggests that nearly 10 million are below the relative poverty level of 50% of the average income. The highest poverty risk was found to be among single parent households. The poverty situation is said to be likely to worsen as the labor market is deregulated.