Bild: Who gets more money, who gets less? | Wer kriegt mehr Geld, wer weniger?
FAZ: Merz wants to talk to the Greens about the ’special fund‘ | Merz will mit Grünen über Sondervermögen sprechen
Funke: Thousands of traffic offenders in Berlin go unpunished | Tausende Verkehrssünder in Berlin kommen ungestraft davon
Handelsblatt: Criticism of the debt plan | Kritik am Schuldenplan
RND: Friedrich Merz makes concession to the Greens: Yes to climate protection and aid for Ukraine | Friedrich Merz kommt Grünen entgegen: Ja zu Klimaschutz und Ukraine-Hilfe
SZ: The coalition is getting closer | Die Koalition kommt näher
Tagesspiegel: Planned record debt: Greens threaten to reject Merz at the federal and state level | Geplante Rekordschulden: Grüne in Bund und Ländern drohen Merz mit Ablehnung
taz: Please help, you bunch of Green wierdos! | Hallöchen, grüne Spinner, bitte helft mir!
Welt: Results of exploratory talks hold several areas of potential conflict | Ergebnisse der Sondierung bergen viel Konfliktpotenzial
SPD and CSU leaders agree to hold coalition negotiations: The SPD executive board voted unanimously in favor, the Willy-Brandt-Haus announced; at the same time, it was emphasized that the formation of a coalition depends on the outcome of a membership survey. The CSU voted unanimously in favor of entering into coalition talks. Party leader Markus Söder said that they were ready to quickly form a government capable of acting on behalf of Germany. The CDU will make its decision on Monday. n-tv.de, handelsblatt.com
CDU and SPD want to hold coalition negotiations: Talks are scheduled to begin on Thursday. CDU and SPD have agreed on important financial issues, among other things, in the exploratory talks and agreed on a reform of the Bürgergeld unemployment benefit; this is to be replaced by a new basic social security system. With regard to migration, asylum seekers could in future be turned away at the borders; however, this is only to be done in coordination with neighboring EU countries. CDU leader Friedrich Merz wants to work towards a common European course on asylum and migration policy, but does not rule out acting independently. The CDU and SPD have proposed a special fund of 500 billion euros for infrastructure, as well as exceptions to the debt brake for defense spending. n-tv.de, faz.net, tagesschau.de
- CDU leader Friedrich Merz is convinced that the CDU, CSU and SPD will form a government. Failure is not an option, Merz said on DLF. There is only one democratic majority in the center of the German Bundestag. Merz said they would not enter into a spending frenzy. The coming government must provide reasonable answers and have the next and the next generation in mind. This also includes investments in infrastructure. Merz announced that climate protection would also be on the agenda in talks with the Greens about the planned changes to the constitution. deutschlandfunk.de, n-tv.de
- SPD leader Lars Klingbeil spoke of „constructive“ talks. The CDU and SPD have shown that they are taking responsibility. An important first step has been taken. He announced a new cheaper energy price for industry and a „purchase subsidy for electric mobility“. The SPD also insisted that a statutory minimum wage of 15 euros and a secure pension be included in the exploratory paper.
AfD member of parliament Christian Wirth is taking legal action against planned special sessions: Four other AfD members of parliament are supporting the lawsuit before the Federal Constitutional Court regarding the planned special sessions of the old Bundestag to relax the debt brake. The AfD faction had called on Bundestag President Bärbel Bas to cancel the special sessions and announced that it would take the matter to the Federal Constitutional Court if necessary. The special sessions are scheduled for March 13 and 18. sr.de
Ex-military commissioner supports Defense Minister Boris Pistorius staying on in role: SPD leadership should declare a further term of office for Pistorius a „conditio sine qua non“ (necessary condition) in negotiations with the CDU, said Reinhold Robbe, who was military commissioner from 2005 to 2010. His predecessor, Willfried Penner, stated that it would be in the interest of the Bundeswehr and external security if Pistorius remained defense minister in the next government. Hans-Peter Bartels, the Parliamentary Commissioner for the Armed Forces from 2015 to 2020, said that it should no longer be automatic that the chancellor’s party always provided the defense minister. Hellmut Königshaus also spoke out in favor of Pistorius serving another term. tagesspiegel.de
US President Donald Trump urges Kiev to negotiate with Russia. Trump criticized the recent massive Russian air strikes on energy supplies in Ukraine; he is considering comprehensive banking sanctions and tariffs against Moscow. These measures would then apply until a ceasefire and a „final peace agreement“ are reached. At the same time, Trump emphasized his good relationship with Russian President Vladimir Putin, adding that negotiations with Kiev to end the war are more difficult than with Moscow. Delegations from the US and Ukraine will meet in Saudi Arabia this week to discuss a ceasefire with Russia. It is expected that the mineral agreement between the two countries will be signed. zeit.de
Israel sends delegation to Qatar: The office of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced that Israel has accepted an invitation from the US-backed negotiators to advance negotiations in Doha for a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip and the release of the last hostages of the Islamist Hamas. According to Israeli information, 24 living hostages and 35 bodies of abductees are still being held in the Gaza Strip. tagesschau.de
BamS Sunday trend by Insa: CDU 28 percent (-2), AfD 21 percent (-1), SPD 16 percent (+1), Greens 11 percent, Left Party 10 percent (+1), BSW 5 percent, FDP 4 percent, others 5 percent. bild.de
Number of asylum applications down 43 percent at the beginning of the year: In January and February, the number of applications totaled just under 27,000, according to the Federal Office for Migration and Refugees. Most of the applicants came from Syria, Afghanistan and Turkey. Interior Minister Nancy Faeser said the figures showed how much irregular migration could be reduced through consistent action. According to the ministry, 30 percent more people were also deported at the beginning of the year than at the beginning of 2024. zeit.de
CDU leader Friedrich Merz sees European nuclear weapons as a „supplement“ to US nuclear weapons: He wants to talk to France and Great Britain about their nuclear weapons and the protection of Europe. However, he emphasizes in the DLF that this should be a „supplement“ to the existing US nuclear umbrella. Germany will not be able to have nuclear weapons itself. spiegel.de
Thousands at demonstrations for equality: In Berlin on Saturday, more than ten thousand demonstrators took to the streets to mark International Women’s Day, calling for, among other things, the redistribution of care work, working hours that fit their lives, equal pay and good wages. Rallies were also held in several other German cities. zdf.de
Prolonged drought increases risk of forest fires in many regions: The second-highest warning level applies in parts of Brandenburg and Berlin, as well as in the foothills of the Alps in Bavaria, according to the German Weather Service. In many places, the top layers of the soil have now dried out considerably. The authorities are asking forest visitors to be careful and not to park cars on dry grass, for example. In February, Germany received an average of 24 liters of rain per square meter, less than half the usual amount. zdf.de
More Germany News:
- Hamburg: SPD and the Green Party want to continue exploratory talks. ndr.de
- Rhineland-Palatinate: CDU candidate Johannes Huber is elected district administrator of Kusel district after a run-off vote. swr.de
- Lower Saxony: CDU calls for shooting down Russian spy drones over northern Germany. haz.de
- Thuringia: BSW to oppose extra defense spending in the Bundesrat. thueringer-allgemeine.de
- Lower Saxony: AfD state executive gets more power. ndr.de
- Saxony: Left Party laments high number of anti-Semitic crimes. n-tv.de
- NRW: Wrongful occupancy of social housing goes unpunished. wdr.de
- Baden-Württemberg: According to the public prosecutor, the Mannheim driver who caused a fatal accident wanted to be shot by the police.
- Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania: Green initiative for better and affordable school meals. n-tv.de
- Hamburg: Verdi moves airport strike forward to Sunday. ndr.de
- Thuringia: Investigations against police officers in connection with the right-wing extremist martial arts group „Knockout 51“ have been dropped; there is no evidence of police officers being connected to the network.
EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen wants to form an EU security council: The aim is to keep the most important players regularly informed about security policy developments. The key areas of the EU institutions that are continuously dealing with current security issues will be represented. The issues at stake include military issues, energy security, economic threats and foreign influence on the democratic processes within the EU. brf.be
EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen in favor of entry bans after deportations: On Tuesday, the EU Commission plans to present a legislative proposal on the repatriation of migrants who are illegally residing in the EU. This is a key element of EU asylum policy, von der Leyen said. The aim is to propose a regulation with simpler and clearer rules that would prevent people from going underground and facilitate the deportation of third-country nationals without a right of residence. Von der Leyen emphasized that the EU would abide by its international obligations, but would nevertheless take a stricter approach if there were a security risk. derstandard.at
World Trade Organization calls for calm and dialogue: Countries should listen to the concerns of the United States instead of taking countermeasures, WTO Director-General Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala said in Geneva. There is no need to panic. She described the tariffs imposed – and in some cases, partially lifted – by the United States as disruptions.
Hungary must improve prison conditions: The Council of Europe in Strasbourg announced that Hungary must explain how it will implement previous rulings of the European Court of Human Rights. The Court has repeatedly ruled that the country’s prisons are overcrowded. Inmates must also be able to report if their placement violates fundamental rights. rp-online.de
Bosnia envoy Christian Schmidt warns of escalating tensions: He called on the international community to focus more on the tensions in the Balkan state. The president of the autonomous Serbian republic of Republika Srpska, Milorad Dodik, and Serbia’s government must be shown clear limits, Schmidt said on DLF radio. A red line has been crossed with the attack on the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Bosnia-Herzegovina. zdf.de, taz.de
Election Commission in Romania rejects candidacy of Calin Georgescu: The commission said the candidate had submitted incomplete documents. The decision is not yet final. After the decision was announced, supporters of the far-right and pro-Russian politician broke through the police cordon in front of the commission’s headquarters. The right-wing populist unexpectedly won the first round of Romania’s presidential election in November, but this was annulled by the Constitutional Court due to irregularities in campaign financing. It will now be repeated on May 4. faz.net, handelsblatt.com, spiegel.de
Nationwide protests in Slovakia against Prime Minister Robert Fico: Around 10,000 people gathered in the capital, Bratislava, to protest against Fico’s policy on Ukraine. After his election victory in the fall of 2023, the left-wing populist stopped direct arms deliveries from army stocks to neighboring Ukraine. However, arms sales on a commercial basis continue. The demonstrators accuse Fico and his government of pursuing a pro-Russian course and warn of that Slovakia is isolating itself with its foreign policy. de.euronews.com
Syrian interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa renews his call for peace and unity: In view of the fierce fighting in the west, which has claimed many lives, al-Sharaa announced that attacks on civilians would be severely punished. The presidential office has set up a commission to investigate the recent violence against civilians. According to the UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, more than 1,000 people have been killed in the Latakia region, many of them in summary executions. Since Thursday, units of the transitional government have been taking action against suspected supporters of the overthrown dictator Bashar al-Assad, who is also an Alevite, in the Alevi-dominated region. Representatives of the new leadership have admitted violations, but blamed local civilians and fighters supporting the official security forces. tagesschau.de, zdf.de
Iran announces joint naval maneuvers with Russia and China on Monday: According to the state-run Tasnim news agency, the exercise will begin off the coast of the city of Chabahar in the Gulf of Oman. China’s government confirmed the maneuver in principle, but did not specify a date. The three countries have already held joint naval maneuvers on several occasions, which are an expression of an increasingly close relationship. srf.ch
South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol released from custody: The Central District Court in Seoul has quashed the arrest warrant against the 64-year-old, citing doubts about the legality of the preliminary proceedings. Yoon Suk Yeol temporarily declared martial law in South Korea at the beginning of December due to a domestic dispute, plunging the country into a political crisis. Parliament then voted to remove the president. However, the Constitutional Court must still rule on the legitimacy of his removal from office in the last instance. A decision is expected in mid-March. tagesschau.de
Canada’s former central bank chief Mark Carney will succeed Prime Minister Justin Trudeau: Trudeau announced his resignation at the beginning of January against the backdrop of poor poll ratings and internal disagreements within the Liberal Party. Trudeau has been leading a minority government. The 59-year-old economist Carney will take over the office of Prime Minister from Trudeau. New elections are likely to be held in a few weeks. spiegel.de
Thousands of scientists protest against cuts, influence and layoffs in the US: The rallies for freedom of science were held under the motto „Stand up for Science“. According to the organizers, there were events in more than 30 cities, with the main rally taking place in Washington, D.C. There, the prominent astronomer Phil Plait said that the new administration is by far the most anti-scientific in the US ever.
More news:
- Italy: Country wants to grow army to 135,000 soldiers with 40,000 new recruits. rnd.de
- Greece: Government survives vote of no confidence. rnd.de
- Great Britain: Guilty verdicts in the trial of a Russian espionage network around former Wirecard board member Jan Marsalek. orf.at
- Turkey: Call for unconditional dissolution of the PKK. fr.de
- Italy: Court awards compensation to migrants detained in port; sea rescue has „priority“. welt.de
- Baltic states: Insecurity on NATO’s eastern flank. rnd.de
- Hungary: Prime Minister Viktor Orban wants to hold referendum on Ukraine’s accession to the EU. rnd.de
- Denmark: US President Donald Trump is driving the Greenlanders back into the arms of Denmark. aargauerzeitung.ch
- Norway: Ski jumping suit manipulation at Nordic Ski Championships. sportschau.de
- South Africa: The fight against the rhino mafia. tagesschau.de
- Congo: First lady evades French justice. faz.net
- China: New campaigns against obesity. spiegel.de
- China: Retaliatory tariffs imposed on Canadian products. n-tv.de
- Venezuela: US company Chevron will no longer be allowed to extract oil from April, based on orders from Donald Trump. handelsblatt.com
- Argentina: At least 16 dead after violent storm in Bahia Blanca. spiegel.de
Deutsche Bahn paid almost 197 million euros in compensation to travelers last year: BamS reports that the reason for this was train cancellations and delays. A total of 6.9 million claims have been submitted by customers. Two years ago, the company only had to pay 132 million euros to passengers. Deutsche Bahn explained that 80 percent of delays are due to the dilapidated and overburdened infrastructure. zdf.de, tagesschau.de
Number of complaints to the Federal Network Agency about postal services reaches new high: The agency in Bonn told the DPA that there were around 44,400 submissions last year; that’s an increase of almost seven percent. Most of the complaints were about delivery problems. For example, allegedly failed delivery attempts were frequently criticized, although the recipient was at home. heise.de
More news:
- Porsche reports accounting loss of billions. wiwo.de
- Space probe: Manufacturer declares Athena „dead“ after tipping over on the moon. heise.de
- Hotels rarely get star-ratings nowadays. tagesschau.de
- Consumption: Deflation concerns in China – prices have fallen significantly wiwo.de
- Semiconductor industry: Europe is falling behind in the chip world faz.net
- Investors: Rich Chinese are apparently investing millions in Elon Musk’s companies wiwo.de
- A media scandal? taz and FAZ accuse Spiegel deputy Amann of a conflict of interest kress.de
- The end of the lone warrior: Why the future of TV lies in sharing dwdl.de
- Historian Meron Mendel and political scientist Saba-Nur Cheema are awarded the Buber-Rosenzweig Medal wdr.de
- James Blake demands: Coldplay bashing has to stop! musikexpress.de
- „Just get in the sauna“: Sweden brings whimsical song to the European Song Contest ksta.de
- Paris Fashion Week: Paris Jackson imitates Vivienne Westwood n-tv.de
- Friedrich Merz: What we know about his children and his wife Charlotte – „We have developed together over the decades, and we feel very lucky about that“ t-online.de
- 37-year-old campaigns for climate protection – Ex-world champion Sebastian Vettel: „I’m the biggest hypocrite there is“ sportbuzzer.de
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- Do or die in the Champions League: BVB and Kovac face their „only chance“ in Lille kicker.de
- Rönnow saves late penalty: Union Berlin turn around nerve-wracking game to beat Frankfurt 2-1 sportschau.de
- Women’s Bundesliga, match day 16: Bayern win 3-0 in Cologne in front of a record crowd of 35,711 fans sportschau.de
- Opponent ranked 85th in world – Like Zverev: Early exit for Djokovic in Indian Wells sportbuzzer.de
- Nordic Ski World Championships: Norwegians admit fraud in ski jumping – Videos on the net show sewing work on Norwegian suits, with head coach Magnus Brevig also in the room. Many questions remain unanswered. sportschau.de
- 50 km cross-country skiing: Swede Frida Karlsson wins the toughest race in the World Championships sport.de
- Defending champions walk away without a medal: German team come fourth in mixed at Skeleton World Championships sportbuzzer.de
Retro innovation: Tinkerer develops data storage device out of Lego bricks. t3n.de