The proposed “active retirement” initiative, designed to incentivize continued employment for individuals past the statutory retirement age, has been defended by Carsten Linnemann, General Secretary of the Christian Democratic Union (CDU). Linnemann, in comments to the “Rhinische Post” characterized the current draft legislation as a…
September 17, 2025
Overtime Tax Breaks May Not Boost Work Hours
Analysis suggests proposed incentives may not boost working hours in Germany. Recent proposals by the German government to incentivize increased working hours, specifically through tax exemptions for “active pensions” (income earned after the statutory retirement age) and overtime pay, are unlikely to produce substantial effects, according to a leading economic…
September 17, 2025
Postal Workers Face Rising Attacks
Deutsche Post’s head of parcel and mail services, Nikola Hagleitner, has expressed concern over a rise in aggressive behavior towards postal carriers. Hagleitner, in statements to Funke-Mediengruppe newspapers, noted a shift in public perception, contrasting the appreciation demonstrated during the COVID-19 pandemic with the current increase in verbal abuse directed at…
September 17, 2025
Merz Champions Justice Consensus
The Chancellor, Friedrich Merz of the CDU, has called for a “new consensus on justice” during a debate concerning reforms to the social welfare system. Addressing the Bundestag during a general debate on Wednesday, the Chancellor emphasized that the ongoing reform discussions represent “nothing less than a matter of justice” and necessitate a…
September 17, 2025
Stocks Rise Ahead of Fed Decision
30 AM.. This level represented a 0.5% increase compared to the closing value of the previous trading day. Leading gains within the index were shares of SAP, Rheinmetall and MTU, while Zalando, BASF and Siemens showed the largest declines. Investor attention is currently focused on the upcoming interest rate decision by the U.S. Federal Reserve, scheduled for release later in…
September 17, 2025
Ticket Price Hike Sparks Debate
The leader of the Green Party’s parliamentary group, Britta Haßelmann, has voiced concerns regarding potential price increases for the Deutschlandticket, a nationwide public transport pass currently priced at €58. Haßelmann, speaking to RTL and n-tv, stated that raising the price to either €62 or €64 would be detrimental to the ticket’s success. She emphasized…
September 17, 2025
Businesses Embrace Open Source
A significant majority of German companies are now actively utilizing open-source software, according to a new survey released this week by Bitkom, the German Association for Information Technology, Telecommunications and Media. The research indicates that nearly three-quarters (73%) of businesses are currently employing open-source solutions, a notable increase from 69% two…
September 17, 2025
Industry Orders Flatline
German manufacturing order backlogs experienced a slight decrease in July 2025, preliminary data released by the Statistical Federal Office (Destatis) indicates. Seasonally and calendar-adjusted, the real order backlog fell by 0.1 percent compared to June 2025. However, when compared to July 2024, the order backlog rose by a more substantial 4.3 percent, adjusted for…
September 17, 2025
Parliament Denies Security Passes for Staff
The German Bundestag has denied security clearances and access authorizations to IT systems for several employees of parliamentarians. This decision, announced by the Bundestag administration on Wednesday, stems from “security-relevant findings” uncovered during necessary reliability checks. The administration’s assessment indicated a potential risk that…
September 17, 2025
Housing Stock Rises in Germany
Germany’s housing stock reached approximately 43.8 million units by the close of 2024, according to data released by the Federal Statistical Office (Destatis). This represents a 0.5% increase, equating to 238,500 additional dwellings, compared to the end of 2023. Over a decade-long period, from 2014 to 2024, the total number of homes expanded by 6.1%, or 2.5 million…
September 17, 2025
German Freelancers Feeling Optimistic
Business sentiment among self-employed individuals and small businesses in Germany has demonstrated a modest improvement during August. The Jimdo-Ifo Business Climate Index, a key indicator of this sector’s health, rose to -13.8 points, marking a recovery from -16.9 points recorded in July. According to Katrin Demmelhuber, an Ifo expert, the primary drivers of this…
September 17, 2025
Guindos Cautions Against Political Pressure on ECB
The European Central Bank (ECB) Vice President Luis de Guindos has cautioned against political interference in monetary policy, emphasizing the historical link between governmental intervention and subsequent inflationary pressures and rising interest rates. Speaking to the German newspaper “Welt” de Guindos reaffirmed the ECB’s legally guaranteed…
