BERLIN, Dec 16 (Reuters) - Germany’s Ifo institute expects Europe’s largest economy to recover less strongly than expected next year as a stricter lockdown to contain a second wave of infections in the COVID-19 pandemic is holding back consumers and companies, it said. Ifo cut its gross domestic product (GDP) growth forecast for next year to 4.2% from 5.1% previously. For 2022, Ifo raised its GDP forecast to 2.5% from 1.7%. (Reporting by Michael Nienaber; editing by Thomas Seythal)