Franziska Brantner Declines Baden-Württemberg Ministerial Post Prefers National Role
Franziska Brantner, chair of Germany’s Green Party, confirmed that she will not take a ministerial post in Cem Özdemir’s cabinet in Baden‑Württemberg. When speaking to RTL and ntv, she explained that although she grew up in Heidelberg and loves Baden‑Württemberg, she also loves the entire Federal Republic. “I’m committed to carrying this momentum…
March 9, 2026
Industrial Order Intake Falls 11.1 Percent in Manufacturing for January 2026
In January 2026 the real volume of new orders received by the manufacturing sector fell 11.1 % when adjusted for seasonality and the calendar, compared with December 2025. If large orders are excluded, the decline is slightly smaller, at 0.4 % lower than the previous month, according to interim figures released by Statistisches Bundesamt (Destatis) on Monday. The sharp drop…
March 9, 2026
East German Firms More Unhappy With German Economic Policy Than West German Companies
Companies in East Germany are less satisfied with the federal government’s economic policy than those in the West, a survey by the Ifo Institute released on Monday shows. On average, businesses in the West rate the government a 4.14, while the East’s score is lower at 4.27. “Significantly more companies in the East than in the West give the government a…
March 9, 2026
Banaszak Hears Winds of Momentum for Federal Greens After Ödemir Baden Württemberg Victory
After the Green Party’s success in the Baden-Württemberg state election, party leader Felix Banaszak sees fresh momentum for the federal party. In an interview with ARD’s Morning Magazine on Monday, he said, “The Greens can win elections again if they combine two things: clear policy positions and a broad appeal to the public”. Banaszak added that the…
March 9, 2026
Strack‑Zimmermann Challenges FDP Leader Dürr Amid Baden‑Württemberg Fallout
Marie‑Agnes Strack‑Zimmermann, a member of the FDP presidium, has distanced herself from party chair Christian Dürr after the party’s disappointing results in Baden‑Württemberg. “Christian Dürr took responsibility in an extremely difficult situation” she told the newspapers of the Funke‑Mediengruppe. “Personnel debates cannot simply be moderated away…
March 9, 2026
SPD Leadership Resists Karin Prien for President Amid Push for First Female Head
Within the top ranks of the SPD there are reservations about a potential bid for the presidency by family minister Karin Prien of the CDU. Deputy chair Serpil Midyatli told the “Tagesspiegel” that, while she believes it is long overdue for a woman to hold this highest office, she cannot envision Prien as president. “I find Prien’s political style…
March 9, 2026
Turkey Acts as Bouncer Against Iranian Refugees as War Looms
In light of the escalating military situation in Iran, migration experts warn of new refugee movements toward Europe, though they see the obstacles for migrants as considerably higher than in recent years. According to Daniel Thym, a migration researcher from Konstanz, Turkey plays a central role in this context. Ankara has expanded its border fortifications with Iran and…
March 9, 2026
Greens Lead in Baden-Württemberg Vote Results but Seat Tally Remains Tie
The Baden‑Württemberg statistical office announced, at night on Monday, the provisional final results of the state election. In terms of seats, the result is a deadlock: the Greens and the CDU each receive 56 seats, while the SPD is awarded 10 and the AfD 35. The largest share of second votes went to the Greens with 30.2 percent, followed closely by the CDU at 29.7 percent.…
March 9, 2026
Green Leader Calls Baden‑Wurttemberg Election Blueprint for Nationwide Party Success
Omid Nouripour, the Green deputy chair of the Bundestag, sees the recent electoral success of his colleague Cem Özdemir in Baden‑Württemberg as a model for the party as a whole. Speaking to the Redaktionsnetzwerk Deutschland, he explained that the Baden‑Württemberg result offers a blueprint for how the Greens can again gain broader, majority‑driven support across Germany.…
March 9, 2026
German Economic Institute Urges Compensation Tariffs Against China to Counter Unfair Competition
In the effort to counter the growing dominance of the Chinese economy, the Institute for German Economic Research (IW) in Cologne is urging the German federal government to introduce “offset tariffs”. Jürgen Matthes, a trade economist at the IW and head of its cluster on international economic policy, told the Redaktionsnetzwerk Deutschland that Germany needs…
March 9, 2026
SPD pushes Buy European strategy to shield German markets from US China rivalry
Facing growing economic competition-especially from the United States and China-the SPD wants to tighten protection of domestic markets and isolate them from external pressures. The party’s executive board plans to adopt a resolution on Monday morning that would introduce a stricter “Buy European” approach within EU trade policy. The proposal calls for a…
March 9, 2026
Serbian President Vucic Urges Partial EU Entry as Russia Tensions Rise
With rising tensions with Russia, Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić confirmed his desire to steer Serbia into the European Union. He told the “Süddeutsche Zeitung” that he expects the EU’s recommendations in the coming days and will take them to Parliament. “And we will accept all of them” he added. Vučić, however, does not believe Serbia can…
