"German unemployment unexpectedly fell in January in seasonally adjusted terms, ending a long run of increases. That was welcome news for Chancellor Angela Merkel, who faces an election in September that could be influenced by the state of the economy. The unadjusted jobless total, which is the headline figure used in Germany, rose above three million for the first time since March of last year, but the Labour Office said seasonal factors were behind that increase." (Quoted from site)