Employees Bear Larger Share of Social Contributions as Employer Burden Falls
Employees now pay a larger share of social security contributions than in the past, while the relative burden on employers has fallen. A special analysis by the Federal Statistical Office, commissioned by the office of Left Party group leader Heidi Reichinnek, shows for each year since 1991 the total amount of all wage payments and, separately, the social contributions of…
February 6, 2026
Otte Urges Germany to Prioritise Alliance Defence Over 17 Overseas Deployments
The German Bundestag’s Military Ombudsman, Henning Otte (CDU), is urging a far stronger prioritization of alliance and national defense. “With 17 overseas deployments across three continents and more than 2,000 soldiers, we must focus on the core mission” he told POLITICO’s Berlin Playbook Podcast. “Our troops should not be overstretched”.…
February 6, 2026
Thousands of Empty Federal Apartments Put Pressure on Left Politicians
The federal government’s own housing stock contains 3,192 vacant apartments, according to the ministry’s response to an inquiry from Left party parliamentarian Caren Lay, which T‑Online reported. This figure represents roughly nine percent of the federal property portfolio. BImA, the federal real‑estate agency, oversees about 37,000 apartments in August 2025…
February 6, 2026
German Security Politicians Urge Detailed Investigation into Epstein Files
Several security politicians in the Bundestag are demanding that German prosecutors systematically analyse the newly released U.S. documents on Jeffrey Epstein.They want the German authorities to “closely examine the Epstein files and, if necessary, request further information from American agencies” said Konstantin von Notz, vice‑leader of the Greens’…
February 6, 2026
AfD Loses Ground While Greens Gain in Latest ZDF Poll AfD Slips to 24
In the ZDF-Politbarometer the AfD has slipped in voter favor. Had there been a federal election next Sunday, the latest survey by the research group Wahlen would put the AfD at 24 % – a drop of one point. The Greens, by contrast, move up a point to 13 %. The other parties show no change: the Union stays at 26 %, the SPD at 15 %, The Left remains at 10 %, and all…
February 6, 2026
Berlin Airport BER Grounded by Severe Frost and Ice Rain No Flights at Dawn
At Berlin’s BER airport, no aircraft were able to start even early on Friday morning. Operators announced that black ice and persistent sleet had made both take‑offs and landings impossible. The airport’s winter‑services crew applied de‑icing fluid to the runways overnight, but the surfaces remained slick and reflective. A resumption of flight operations remains…
February 6, 2026
Bastian Pastewka Caught In Viral Phishing Scandal Instead Of Romance With Anke Engelke
Comedian and actor Bastian Pastewka found himself rattled by what he called the “dumbest phishing email ever”. In an interview with the “Neuen Osnabrücker Zeitung” he explained that the mail claimed to be from his bank and insisted on accessing his account details. “I was concerned about my account, so I immediately called my bank to block my…
February 6, 2026
Saxony Premier Urges Increased Use of Local Brown Coal Power Amid Empty Gas Stores and Rising LNG Imports
In light of dwindling gas‑storage levels and rising imports of U.S. liquefied natural gas, State Minister President Michael Kretschmer (CDU) has urged a greater reliance on domestic brown coal. “We have a goal that is absolutely right – we want to cut CO₂. But it must also work economically and socially” he told the “Tagesspiegel”. He said that,…
February 6, 2026
German Services Sector Revenue Falls in November 2025 Despite 0.6 Percent YoY Gain
Germany’s service sector achieved a calendar‑ and seasonally adjusted real decline of 0.4 % in November 2025 and a nominal drop of 0.3 % compared with October 2025, according to preliminary figures released by the Federal Statistical Office (Destatis) on Thursday. When compared with the same month a year earlier, sales rose by 0.6 % in real terms and 2.5 % nominally.…
February 6, 2026
HDE Urges Chancellor Merz to Ban Import of Temu and Shein Chinese Goods
The German Retail Federation (HDE) has introduced a request for an import ban on goods from Chinese online retailers. In a dispatch signed by HDE president Alexander von Preen and chief executive officer Stefan Genth to Chancellor Friedrich Merz, the federation argues that the current situation is untenable. Local merchants are stifled by excessive bureaucracy and compliance…
February 6, 2026
Greens Demand Heating Law Reform Points Before German State Elections
Franziska Brantner, chairperson of the Green Party, has called on the federal government to present draft points for a reform of the Building Energy Act before the end of the month-just ahead of the state elections in Rhineland‑Palatinate and Baden‑Württemberg. “I expect Schwarz‑Rot to deliver their key points by the next Bundestag session” Brantner told the…
February 6, 2026
Dobrindt Demands Harsh Punishment After Train Guard Killed, Calls for More Staff
Bundesinnenminister Alexander Dobrindt (CSU) called for a harsh sentence against the suspected perpetrator in the killing of a train attendant on a regional service. He urged that the “absolute hardness of the rule of law” be applied, and said he expected a “severe verdict”. Dobrindt was “shocked and alarmed” by the violent crime, adding…
