Auto Club Europe Sounds Alarm Over Unlikely Driver’s License Price Cuts
The Auto Club Europa (ACE) does not expect the planned measures by Federal Transport Minister Patrick Schnieder to make acquiring a driving licence cheaper. “A noticeable drop in costs is not to be expected” said ACE expert Marc‑Philipp Waschke‑Deden in an interview with the “Stern”. “What matters more is that the costs do not rise…
January 26, 2026
Union and SPD Reject Boycott of US World Cup
The CDU and SPD have made clear that they do not intend to boycott the 2026 World Cup in the United States.“An World‑Cup boycott is a bad idea” said CDU politician Christoph Ploß in an interview with “Spiegel”. “It would punish the players and go against the very purpose of major international sporting events, which is to bring together athletes…
January 26, 2026
Germany’s Commission Plans Merge of Citizens’ Allowance, Child Supplement, and Housing Benefit into Unified Aid
The German federal government together with the Länder and municipalities has decided to combine the Bürgergeld, the Kinderzuschlag and Wohngeld into a single welfare payment. This recommendation comes from a report by a government commission on social‑state reform, which is slated for publication on Tuesday and covered by the “Süddeutsche Zeitung” that same day.…
January 26, 2026
Günther Opens Debate on Limiting Part-Time Work Rights in Schleswig-Holstein
The premier of Schleswig‑Holstein, Daniel Günther of the CDU, said he was open to discussing a possible restriction on the right to part‑time work. Speaking to “Handelsblatt” in its Tuesday edition, he noted that the situation is too serious to issue blanket prohibitions on thinking, and that people would welcome change if the overall concept was sound. “We…
January 26, 2026
DIHK Calls for Abolition of Free Co‑Insurance for Non‑Working Spouses in German Statutory Health System
Peter Adrian, president of the German Chamber of Industry and Commerce (DIHK), has called for the abolition of the contribution‑free coverage for non‑working spouses in Germany’s statutory health insurance. He argues that this arrangement often discourages partners from taking or extending part‑time work, because once they start earning, they are required to pay…
January 26, 2026
DAX Stutters Up Slightly Amid Investor Concerns Over Market Conditions
The German DAX edged higher at the start of the week, closing the Xetra market at 24,933 points-a 0.1 % gain on the previous session. After a cautious opening and a morning that saw the index add to early losses, it turned positive by the afternoon. Christine Romar, Head of Europe at CMC Markets, noted that sentiment surveys and related economic indicators remain mixed,…
January 26, 2026
Fuest Blames Part‑Time Debate as a ‘Parallel Warplace’ While Calling for New Measures to Protect Work‑Life Balance
On Monday, Clemens Fuest, director of the Ifo Institute, spoke to the German broadcaster “Welt” about the debate over “lifestyle part‑time” work. He agreed with criticism from MIT chief Gitta Connemann that many people choose part time because it feels more rewarding than the alternative. Fuest said, “That is a reasonable proposal” but…
January 26, 2026
CDU Workers Wing Slams Party’s Social Reform Communications
Denis Radtke, the leader of the CDU’s employee wing, sharply criticized how his own party handles discussions about reforms in the social‑security system. “When you create a campfire atmosphere rhetorically for a handpicked group of business‑association officials while at the same time kicking half the country in the head, you haven’t solved any problem-on…
January 26, 2026
Reichinnek Warns of Health Risks from Full‑Time Mandate as CDU/CSU Pushes to Slash Part‑Time Work
The group chair of the Left Party, Heidi Reichinnek, sharply criticized the CDU/CSU Mittelstands‑und‑Wirtschaftsunion’s proposal to restrict the right to part‑time work. “This clearly aims to erode workers’ rights” Reichinnek told RTL and ntv on Monday. “Will we now create a bureaucratic monster that forces people to beg if they are allowed to…
January 26, 2026
German Parties Warn Against Creating Deportation Police Based on US Model Accusing AfD of Imitating ICE
German politicians from the CDU, SPD and Greens accused the AfD of basing its migration policy on the controversial U.S. immigration authority ICE. Interior politician Marc Henrichmann (CDU) said in the Tuesday issue of “Handelsblatt” that, in light of several unexplained deaths, the party’s “unflinching glorification of Trump’s domestic…
January 26, 2026
German Railway Eyes Sale Of Global Operations
Deutsche Bahn appears to be considering selling its overseas operating division, which operates under the name ”DB International Operations”. The information comes from the ”Handelsblatt” tuesday edition, citing several company managers. The unit is part of the larger DB E.C.O. Group and runs rail services in India, Uruguay, and most recently in…
January 26, 2026
Karin Prien Welcomes Discourse on Ending Part‑Time Rights at Upcoming CDU Conference
Family Minister Karin Prien (CDU) welcomed the plan to debate the abolition of the statutory right to part‑time work at the upcoming CDU party congress. “In light of demographic trends and their effects on the economy, I think it is good to discuss this proposal at the party meeting” she told the newspapers of the Funke media group on Monday. “I am also…
