Poland
| Year | GDP Growth (%) | Government Spending (% GDP) | Employed People (millions) | Employment Growth (%) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | 4.6% | 42.5% | 16.4 | 0.8% |
| 2020 | -2.0% | 48.8% | 16.1 | -1.8% |
| 2021 | 6.9% | 44.2% | 16.5 | 2.5% |
| 2022 | 5.3% | 42.7% | 16.8 | 1.8% |
| 2023 | 0.3% | 49.0% | 17.0 | 1.2% |
| 2024 | 3.0% | 49.5% | 17.2 | 1.1% |
| 2025* | 3.2% – 3.7% | 50.9% | 17.36 | 0.9% |
| 2026* | 3.1% – 3.5% | 43.0% | 17.45 | 0.5% |
* 2025–2026 are forecasts/estimates.
Main observations
- Poland maintained very strong employment growth despite an ageing population and declining birth rate.
- Employment recovered rapidly after the 2020 COVID downturn.
- GDP growth slowed sharply in 2023 but employment still increased.
- Government spending rose substantially after 2022, driven largely by defense, healthcare, and social programs.
- Poland reached record employment levels in 2025 with more than 17.3 million employed people.
European Union
| Year | GDP Growth (%) | Government Spending (% GDP) | Employed People (millions) | Employment Growth (%) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | 1.8% | 46.5% | 209 | 1.0% |
| 2020 | -5.6% | 53.1% | 201 | -3.8% |
| 2021 | 6.2% | 51.0% | 205 | 2.0% |
| 2022 | 3.5% | 49.6% | 209 | 2.0% |
| 2023 | 0.4% | 49.2% | 211 | 1.0% |
| 2024 | 1.0% | 49.0% | 213 | 0.9% |
| 2025* | 1.4% – 1.6% | 48.8% | 214 | 0.5% |
| 2026* | 1.5% – 1.7% | 48.5% | 215 | 0.4% |
* 2025–2026 are forecasts/estimates.
Main observations
- The EU experienced a historic contraction in 2020 during the COVID crisis, followed by a strong rebound in 2021.
- Government spending jumped above 53% of GDP during the pandemic due to emergency fiscal programs, subsidies, and healthcare expenditures.
- Employment recovered steadily after 2020 and reached record highs by 2024–2025 despite slow GDP growth.
- Since 2022, EU growth has slowed considerably due to inflation, high interest rates, energy costs, and weaker industrial production.
- Employment growth remains positive, but productivity growth across the EU has been relatively weak.
