Nokia, the world's largest mobile phone company, is having a tough year in Germany. Its decision in January to close its mobile phone factory there, cutting 2,300 jobs, drew unusually loud howls of protest from politicians, trade unions and even some business leaders.

Economists said they understood the Finnish company’s decision to relocate to Romania, where labour costs are one-tenth those in Germany – but their voices were drowned out by demonstrations and calls for boycotts of Nokia phones.