The German economy faces three long-term issues going into the 2020s. : Germany plays a leadership role among the surrounding eurozone countries. The nation had the largest economy in Europe and relatively low unemployment compared to other euro area countries as of late 2020. Christine Lagarde was the managing director of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) in 2018 and listed three issues of concern for Germany both in terms of its own future and other European nations. In 2020, the coronavirus crisis substantially changed the economic outlook in Germany and the rest of Europe.