Warken defends Hagel amid backlash over controversial old video
Nina Warken, chairwoman of the CDU Women’s Union and the federal health minister, defended CDU’s top candidate for the Baden‑Württemberg state election, Manuel Hagel, after accusations resurfaced about an old video he recorded years ago. She said the current debate is a campaign maneuver and that she has worked closely with Hagel for many years, describing him as…
February 25, 2026
German Cabinet Shows Strong Team Spirit at Second Meeting
The second cabinet meeting, led by Vice‑Chancellor Lars Klingbeil (SPD), ran just as the federal government reported, with no major deviations from the usual course. Deputy government spokesperson Steffen Meyer described the atmosphere as “very, very focused and also marked by a strong team spirit” noting that it was indeed the case today. He added that this was…
February 25, 2026
German Chancellor Merz Urges Stronger Trade Balance With China During Beijing Visit
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, a member of the CDU, urged a reduction of Germany’s widening trade deficit with China. Speaking on Wednesday during a business trip to Beijing, he said, “We want to continue the success story of cooperation between Germany and China”. He added that the relationship requires a regulated market entry, fair competition,…
February 25, 2026
German Government Calls Emergency Berlinale Board Meeting Amid Speculation Over CEO Ouster
The German federal government says it is protected against any potential dismissal of Berlinale chief Tricia Tuttle. Deputy spokesperson Steffen Meyer declined to discuss media reports, but confirmed that an extraordinary supervisory‑board meeting will convene on Thursday morning at the holding company, where the “future direction of the Berlinale” will be the…
February 25, 2026
AI Use on German Smartphones Rises as Daily Habit
Artificial intelligence on smartphones is becoming increasingly everyday for many users in Germany. A survey by the IT industry association Bitkom found that 38 % of smartphone owners use AI features regularly, with the habit especially common among people under 30, where 54 % report using them. About a third of respondents (33 %) said they would be willing to pay extra for…
February 25, 2026
Municipalities Demand Clarity on Germany’s Heat Transition Plans
After the coalition between the Union and the SPD settled on the key points for the Building Modernisation Act and the amendment of the Heat Planning Act, the German Association of Cities and Municipalities welcomed the proposals but demanded clearer conditions. Chief executive André Berghegger told the “Rheinische Post” that the heat transition is a societal…
February 25, 2026
Weimer Orders Tuttle Out of Berlinale Amid Anti‑Semitic Fallout
German Culture Minister Wolfram Weimer appears to be taking action following an alleged antisemitic incident at the Berlinale. According to Bild’s Thursday edition, he intends to relieve Tricia Tuttle-CEO of the festival and an American national-of her duties. The newspaper refers to “cultural circles” as the source of its information. It says Weimer is…
February 25, 2026
Only 1 in 10 Asylum Seekers Beat Deportation Rulings in German Courts
In Germany, only one in ten asylum seekers who appeal a threatened deportation succeeds in administrative courts. A Focus magazine report, based on a survey of the 16 federal states, found that last year just 10.4 percent of such appeals were granted. The highest approval rates appeared in Saarland, where 19.5 percent of 564 cases were successful, and in Thuringia, with…
Volker Geyer, president of the Association of Civil Servants (DBB), has dismissed the idea that civil servants should be added to Germany’s statutory pension scheme. “Including civil servants would solve no problem for the statutory pension” he told the “Frankfurter Rundschau”. “It makes no sense at all and would be vastly more expensive…
February 25, 2026
Gauland Defends AfD Against Nepotism Charges in Fiery Response
Alexander Gauland, the honorary chairman and co‑founder of the AfD, speaks out against accusations of nepotism within his party. In an interview with the news magazine Focus, the 85‑year‑old said, “We have a very hard time finding loyal employees”. He added that the AfD’s widespread exclusion has made it difficult for party members who wish to pursue…
February 25, 2026
SPD Migration MPs Claim Exclusion From Program Debate as Party Workgroup Demands Transparent Seat Allocation
The SPD’s working group on migration and diversity has criticized the appointment of the party’s internal program committee. This committee is intended to lead and coordinate work on the new policy programme. “It is almost shameful that the federal SPD, in 2026, establishes a programme committee in which expertise on diversity and migration is hardly…
February 25, 2026
Schweitzer Warns Germany Against Overly Aggressive Trade Policy Toward China Ahead of Merz Trip
Shortly before Chancellor Friedrich Merz (CDU) was set to travel to China, Rhineland‑Palatinate premier Alexander Schweitzer (SPD) warned against too much economic isolation from the People’s Republic. Speaking to “Handelsblatt”, he said, “China is an important trade partner” adding that without access to Chinese markets German products would…
