German Chancellor Merz breaks key election promise on electricity tax
Barely two months after assuming the German Chancellorship, Friedrich Merz has broken a key election promise.
Germany: Former SPD leader Gabriel calls its push for AfD party ban ‘stupid’
Sigmar Gabriel, former long-time leader of the German Social Democratic Party (SPD), has criticised its recently adopted resolution to strive for a total ban of the right-wing…
Berlin Greens want to force landlords to rent flats to welfare recipients
Berlin's local Greens party has proposed a new rental law which would sharply curtail landlords' freedom to rent out their properties.
Almost three million Germans are unemployed as economic slump drags on
As Germany’s economic malaise persists, the number of unemployed people has climbed by 7 per cent in June compared to a year before.
German court fines woman for picture of left-wing politician with extended right arm
A woman in Bavaria has been fined €2,025 for her poster showing former health minister Karl Lauterbach extending his right arm, insinuating he was performing a Nazi salute.
Austria wants to let police and prosecutors break into suspects’ messenger apps
Austria has announced plans to give public prosecutors and police the remit to spy on suspects’ encrypted messenger communications.
German SPD veers further left, jeopardising rearmament plans and demanding ban of AfD
Germany’s Social Democrats are leaning even more towards the Left.
Germany to suspend migrant family reunifications for some arrivals
The Bundestag, the main chamber of German parliament, has decided to put a transitory stop to family reunification for certain types of immigrants.
Family of late German industrialist must pay record €4 billion inheritance tax
The heirs of German business magnate Heinz Hermann Thiele have paid a record amount of almost €4 billion in inheritance taxes.
Berlin court allows petition that would limit private car use to 12 rides per year
The constitutional court of Berlin has green lighted a planned citizens’ petition to limit drastically the use of private cars in the German capital, including a limitation…
Broken promise of electricity tax cut causes first rift in Germany’s new government coalition
A cancelled cut of the tax on electricity is causing friction between Germany’s Conservatives (CDU) and Social Democrats (SPD) who formed a coalition government that took…
Wealth consultancy points to exodus of millionaires from Western Europe
High-net-worth individuals have been turning their backs on Western Europe in favour of more attractive destinations.
German national debt to rocket with borrowing to double in 2025
German national debt looks set to climb to record heights this year, according to the country's latest budget.
City of Berlin rescinds ban on headscarves for teachers
The city government of Berlin has agreed to abolish a law which forbids schoolteachers from wearing Islamic headscarves in school.
German literature forum cancels author over article for ‘right-wing’ news site
A non-profit organisation in Berlin has erased the recording of a young German author’s reading from its website, after he casually revealed he had written an article for…
ArcelorMittal cancels German ‘green’ steel projects and shifts focus to France
International steel giant ArcelorMittal said it would no longer pursue plans to “decarbonise” its German steel mills.
Austria mulls mandatory social media age checks following school shootings
The Austrian Government has proposed measures to tighten online freedom and access to social media.
Majority of Swiss still support neutrality despite global tension
Almost nine out of 10 Swiss citizens say they supported their country's neutral stance.
‘Left-wing extremists’ torch dozens of Amazon vans in Berlin
Unknown perpetrators have set fire to dozens of delivery vans in two coordinated attacks in Berlin in the morning of June 17.
Danish parliament agrees compulsory military service for women
Denmark said it would introduce compulsory military service for women starting in 2026.
Germany’s Die Linke demands ‘heat holidays’ for workers
German left-wing party Die Linke has demanded a reduction in working hours when workplace temperatures rise above certain levels.
German exports to US drop substantially as global trade shifts
Germany’s exports to the US have slumped, according to the latest data by the Federal Statistical Office (Destatis).
At least 10 people die in shooting spree at Austrian school
A shooting spree at a secondary school in Graz, Austria’s second city, has left at least 10 people dead and 28 injured, some of whom were in critical condition.
German police union suspects pro-asylum NGO ‘organised recent border incident’
The German Police Officers’ Union (DPolG), a representation body for German policemen, said it suspected a recent incident at the German-Polish border may have been co-ordinated…
German YouTuber fined €16,000 for alleged use of Nazi phrase
Tim Heldt, a popular German YouTuber posting under the synonym Kuchen TV, has been ordered to pay a fine of €16,000 by authorities in Oldenburg (Lower Saxony) for allegedly…
Scepticism widespread as Bulgaria prepares to join eurozone
Bulgaria's newly announced accession to the eurozone on January 1, 2026 as the currency union’s 21st member state has been met with scepticism by many Bulgarians.
Germany sees number of anti-Semitic incidents more than double
Anti-Semitic incidents – ranging from derogatory remarks to brutal physical violence and arson - soared to almost 9,000 in Germany last year.
OECD surprises with predicted return of Germany as Europe’s growth motor
In its new economic outlook, the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), an international NGO comprising 38 primarily Western countries, has exhibited…
Germany could arrest Netanyahu as government adopts leftist rhetoric on Israel
Germany’s ruling Christian Democratic Union (CDU) said it no longer excluded detaining Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu should he visit the country.
German Constitutional Court dismisses BSW’s complaints over February election
Germany’s highest court has thrown out two suits brought by the left-wing Bündnis Sahra Wagenknecht (BSW) party, challenging the general election result on February 23,…