According to Oxfam, the wealth of billionaires has increased by 81% since March 2020, raising serious concerns. Against this backdrop, nearly half of the world's population lives in poverty, possessing only 0.52% of global wealth, while 43.8% of wealth is concentrated in the hands of the richest 1% of the population.
Charlotte Becker, head of Oxfam Germany, emphasized: "We are living in the age of billionaires — and this is a negative signal for the whole world." She noted that turning the financial influence of the wealthy into political power poses a threat to democratic processes.
As an example, Becker cited U.S. President Donald Trump, whose actions in favor of the wealthy only exacerbate inequality.
Germany ranks fourth in the world in terms of the number of billionaires, and their number increased by a third in 2025, totaling 172 individuals. According to Oxfam, a German billionaire earns an amount equivalent to the average annual income in a country where one-fifth of the population lives below the poverty line in just one and a half hours.
Oxfam again called for stricter taxation of the wealthy both in Germany and internationally. The organization proposed introducing a billionaire tax for a fairer distribution of resources, combating climate change, and protecting democratic principles.
