Bild: Lindner kills star producer’s dog | Lindner fährt Hund von Star-Produzent tot
FAZ: Debate over exclusion of AfD members from civil service | Debatte über Ausschluss von AfD-Mitgliedern aus Staatsdienst
Funke: Senate wants more transparency in rental contract terminations for personal use | Senat will mehr Transparenz bei Kündigungen wegen Eigenbedarfs
Handelsblatt: Buffett’s legacy | Buffetts Vermächtnis
RND: AfD wants to sue – federal and state governments struggle with consequences | AfD will klagen – Bund und Länder ringen um Konsequenzen
SZ: Tougher stance against the AfD | Härtere Gangart gegen die AfD
Tagesspiegel: Suspended since December: Hearings for Syrian refugees resumed | Seit Dezember ausgesetzt: Anhörung syrischer Geflüchteter wieder aufgenommen
taz: The ban of the hour | Das Verbot der Stunde
Welt: Greens and Left Party call on Union to take a clear stance on the AfD | Grüne und Linke rufen Union zu klarer Haltung zur AfD auf
SPD announces ministerial posts: The SPD is the last of the three future governing parties to present its lineup. It is already known that party leader Lars Klingbeil will become finance minister and vice chancellor, and Boris Pistorius will remain defense minister. The position of development minister is still open. spiegel.de, t-online.de, tagesspiegel.de
- Rhineland-Palatinate’s Minister of Education and former judge Stefanie Hubig will take on the role of Minister of Justice, reports Politico, citing party circles. Previously, the Allgemeine Zeitung had reported that Hubig would become Minister of the Environment.
- Carsten Schneider will become Minister of the Environment, reports Table-Briefings. Schneider wants to bring Jochen Flasbarth into his ministry as a civil servant state secretary. table.media/agrifood
- Verena Hubertz will become Minister of Construction, reports Table Briefings. The 37-year-old has been a member of the Bundestag since 2021 and was most recently deputy parliamentary party leader. table.media/berlin
- Bärbel Bas is to take over labor and social affairs, according to ZDF. Bas had been touted for this post for some time. Table-Briefings reports that she will take Bundestag director Michael Schäfer with her as state secretary. zdf.de
- Diverse wings of the SPD have agreed on the current secretary general, Matthias Miersch, as the new parliamentary party leader. Like party leader Saskia Esken, Miersch belongs to the left wing, while Lars Klingbeil belongs to the conservative Seeheim Circle. tagesspiegel.de
Week of government change: At noon, the CDU, CSU, and SPD are set to sign their coalition agreement. In the afternoon, the Union plans to formally elect Jens Spahn as faction leader. In the evening, Chancellor Olaf Scholz will be given a grand military send-off by the German Armed Forces. The new black-red government is to be finalized on Tuesday with the election of Chancellor Friedrich Merz in the Bundestag. He needs the approval of a majority, i.e. 316 votes, in a secret ballot. Together, a total of 328 CDU/CSU and SPD politicians sit in the Bundestag. tagesspiegel.de, rnd.de (Zapfenstreich)
Debate on AfD ban proceedings: On Friday, the Office for the Protection of the Constitution officially classified the AfD as a confirmed right-wing extremist organization. Representatives of almost all parties spoke in favor of a thorough examination of possible consequences. Only the Bundestag, Bundesrat, or federal government could initiate a ban. tagesschau.de
- SPD leader Lars Klingbeil told BamS that such a process, which could take years, is not the only way to „bring down“ the AfD; political efforts must be made to give people a sense of security. handelsblatt.com
- Designated Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt said on ARD television that the classification of the party as confirmed right-wing extremist was not surprising. However, banning the AfD was something else entirely; there were rightly high hurdles to overcome in that regard. derstandard.de
- Green Party leader Felix Banaszak has called on the Union to hold talks on a possible ban on the AfD. Anyone who is serious about defending democracy should no longer shy away from this, Banaszak wrote on X.
- Left Party faction leader Heidi Reichinnek spoke out in favor of a ban.
AfD wants to take legal action against its classification by the Office for the Protection of the Constitution: The Office for the Protection of the Constitution had previously classified the AfD as a „suspected case“ of right-wing extremism. The agency now believes that the party’s „ethnic understanding of the people“ is incompatible with the free democratic basic order. The AfD has announced legal action. The Higher Administrative Court in Münster last dealt with the matter in May 2024. At that time, the court dismissed a lawsuit filed by the AfD against its previous classification as a suspected case. tagesschau.de
CDU politicians call for AfD members to be dismissed from public service: The classification as confirmed right-wing extremist has triggered a debate about the consequences for party members. rnd.de, tagesschau.de
Israeli military confirms call-up of tens of thousands of reservists: They are to support a renewed and larger army advance into Gaza. The security cabinet has ordered the expected expansion of the army’s operation in the Gaza Strip. According to media reports, the reservists will be sent to the border with Lebanon and to the West Bank. The forces freed up there will be deployed in the Gaza Strip. The aim is to destroy the entire infrastructure of the Hamas terrorist organization in the Palestinian territory. Hamas frequently uses civilian buildings and tunnel systems in the Gaza Strip. zeit.de, handelsblatt.com
Ukrainian National Guard recaptures position near Pokrovsk: Ukrainian forces have broken through Russian defense lines and recaptured a fortified position that was previously under Russian control, commander Oleksandr Pivnenko said. The soldiers approached on foot after exiting an armored personnel carrier, which then opened fire to support the advance of the infantry. Published footage shows National Guard fighters attacking Russian forces. welt.de
Russian President Vladimir Putin has a list of candidates who could succeed him: He is constantly reviewing potential successors for the office, according to a Putin-friendly documentary produced in Russia entitled „Russia. Kremlin. Putin. 25 Years.“ Putin, 72, has been at the helm of the country for over 25 years. In an interview with pro-Russian state journalist Pavel Sarubin for the documentary, Putin says that he assesses the potential of every possible successor. Every successor must earn „the trust of the people,“ he warns, adding that without this trust, a future president would have „no chance of seriously accomplishing anything.“ br.de
ZDF Politbarometer from FG elections: Union 27 percent (+1), AfD 23 percent (-1), SPD 15 percent, Greens 11 percent (-1), Left 10 percent, BSW 4 percent, FDP 3 percent, others 7 percent. zdf.de
- Union and SPD government: Good 48 percent, Not good 37 percent, Don’t know 10 percent.
- Union and SPD solve problems: Yes 48 percent, No 47 percent, Don’t know 5 percent.
- BamS Sunday trend from Insa: Union 25 percent, AfD 24 percent (-1), SPD 16 percent (+1), Greens 12 percent, Left 10 percent, BSW 4 percent, FDP 4 percent (+1), others 5 percent. bild.deAfter being classified as right-wing extremist: Almost half of Germans are in favor of banning the AfD. n-tv.de
Future Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt wants to order stricter border controls immediately: He wants to make the first decisions on Wednesday, Dobrindt told BamS. This would involve stepping up border controls and increasing the number of rejections. However, there will be no border closures. The numbers of illegal migrants must be reduced, Dobrindt said. Control, clarity, and consistency are needed to ensure a balance between order and humane treatment humanity. Legislation is being prepared in Germany and Europe to this end. stern.de, zdf.de
Ministry of the Interior considers mass asylum procedures in non-EU countries unsuitable: In principle, it is possible to carry out asylum procedures in countries outside the EU, but there are significant obstacles, according to a report presented by outgoing Interior Minister Nancy Faeser. Cooperation with third countries could be another building block in limiting irregular migration. However, the concept is not suitable for mass procedures. It would have to be limited to certain groups of people. In the report, the ministry also points to legal hurdles and immense costs, such as for additional personnel. Furthermore, only a few third countries would be eligible for such cooperation. n-tv.de, tagesschau.de, zdf.de
Thousands attend closing service of the Protestant Church Congress: Church Congress President Anja Siegesmund emphasized that the event was political. The church does not stay out of politics: it gets involved, every day. The five-day meeting was marked by debates on the social role of churches, the fight against right-wing extremism, and climate protection. Bundestag President Julia Klöckner once again criticized the work of the churches at the Church Congress. She said she was not against the churches‘ socio-political engagement, but that many people were leaving the communities because they did not connect with their message of faith. tagesschau.de
At least 193 investigations against police officers on suspicion of harboring right-wing extremist views: This is the result of a survey conducted by RTL and Stern among the interior ministries of the federal states. However, the actual number of cases is higher because North Rhine-Westphalia, Berlin, and Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania did not provide clear data. Bavaria’s Interior Minister Joachim Herrmann stated that every case of right-wing extremism in the police force is one case too many. Officials must commit themselves to the free democratic basic order both professionally and privately and stand up for its preservation. stern.de, tagesschau.de
More News:
- Baden-Württemberg: State tests new car-mounted scanning system to catch parking offenders. n-tv.de
- Berlin: New city partnership with Tel Aviv. tagesspiegel.de
- Baden-Württemberg: New attempt at a referendum against XXL state parliament. zeit.de
- Baden-Württemberg: Pforzheim Mayor Peter Boch sworn into office. n-tv.de
NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte makes compromise proposal on defense spending: Alliance members should increase their defense spending to 3.5 percent of their respective economic output and spend an additional 1.5 percent on defense-related areas, Reuters reports. US President Donald Trump is demanding at least five percent. A NATO spokeswoman declined to confirm the report directly, merely pointing out that Rutte had repeatedly stated the need for higher defense spending and said the burden should be shared fairly. tagesspiegel.de
Luxembourg’s former foreign minister Jean Asselborn considers NATO’s mutual defense clause to be „undermined.“ Asselborn said on German radio station DLF that he is missing a clear commitment from the US to NATO and its mutual defense clause. Although an alliance without the US is difficult to imagine, there are 31 other member countries besides the US. These should do everything in their power to ensure the continued existence of the North Atlantic Treaty, even if US President Donald Trump decides to withdraw. At the same time, Asselborn ruled out NATO membership for Ukraine at this point in time, saying that anyone who includes the question of admission in a peace plan has no chance of getting it through. deutschlandfunk.de
Right-wing nationalist George Simion reaches runoff election in Romania: Simion won over 40 percent of the vote. He will face the independent liberal Bucharest mayor Nicusor Dan, who received 20.9 percent of the vote in the first round of the presidential elections. The candidate of the social democratic-conservative government, Crin Antonescu, came in third with 20.3 percent. The result of the previous presidential election in November was annulled by the Constitutional Court. zdf.de, derstandard.de, spiegel.de
Opposition leader Özgür Özel attacked in Istanbul: Television footage shows the leader of Turkey’s main opposition party, the CHP, being struck in the face by a man as he leaves a cultural center. According to the public prosecutor’s office, the attacker was arrested. Özel is reported to have suffered minor injuries. The CHP has been the focus of public attention since its presidential candidate Ekrem Imamoglu was arrested shortly before his official nomination in March. Since then, there have been mass demonstrations against President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. zeit.de
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese re-elected: His Labor Party has won a surprisingly clear election victory. Albanese said voters had voted for unity rather than division and announced a disciplined government. Finance Minister Jim Chalmers emphasized that the result had exceeded all expectations. Labor won almost 90 of 150 seats, giving it an absolute majority in the House of Representatives. The conservative alliance of Liberals and Nationals won fewer than 40 seats. zdf.de
US bishops demand apology from US President Donald Trump after AI-generated image of Pope: The Bishop of Springfield, Thomas Paprocki, said on X that the image was deeply offensive to Catholics. This was all the more true as people were still mourning Pope Francis. New York Cardinal Timothy Dolan told an Italian newspaper that Trump had made a bad impression with this action. On Friday, the White House had shared an AI-generated photo of the US president as the pope on social media. rnd.de, spiegel.de
Nicaragua leaves UNESCO in protest against award: The decision to leave was motivated by the awarding of a UNESCO prize for press freedom to the independent Nicaraguan newspaper „La Prensa,“ said UNESCO Secretary-General Audrey Azoulay. Reporters Without Borders reports smear campaigns against journalists perceived as opponents of the government. In the new press freedom rankings published this week, Nicaragua has slipped nine places to 172nd. deutschlandfunkkultur.de
More news:
- United Kingdom: Eight arrests on suspicion of terrorism, including seven Iranians. tagesschau.de
- France: Citizens to vote on austerity program. faz.net
- United Kingdom: Right-wing Reform UK scores significant gains in local elections. sueddeutsche.de
- France: President Emmanuel Macron reinvents himself as chief diplomat with foreign policy offensive. spiegel.de
- Bulgaria: Sofia allows Roma settlement to be cleared despite ban. zdf.de
- Belgium: Defense chief Frederik Vansina wants crisis status for better threat prevention and faster weapons procurement. grenzecho.net
- Spain: No definitive cause found for power outage. schwaebische.de
- Italy: Freedom of the press deteriorating in the country. rainews.it
- Austria: FPÖ provokes neighboring Slovenia with anthem plan. sueddeutsche.de
- Greece: New law puts campers in their place. orf.at
- Yemen: Former finance minister Salem Saleh bin Braik appointed new prime minister. puls24.at
- Iran: Administrative official and company manager arrested after explosion in Shahid Rajai container port. tagesspiegel.de
- Pakistan: Citizens in the Kashmir border region called on to stock up on food supplies; government expects Indian military strike. fr.de
- South Korea: Third interim president in a matter of hours and former education minister Lee Ju Ho wants to ensure stable government work. derstandard.de
- Singapore: The ruling People’s Action Party wins parliamentary elections again. handelsblatt.com
- Brazil: Former President Jair Bolsonaro discharged from hospital after surgery. spiegel.de
- Brazil: Police foil bomb attack at Lady Gaga concert; two arrests, several searches. spiegel.de
US investor Warren Buffet announces retirement: The 94-year-old said at Berkshire Hathaway’s shareholders‘ meeting that he would propose to the board of directors that his designated successor, Greg Abel, be promoted to the top position at the end of the year. He said he would remain as an advisor, but that his successor would make the decisions. n-tv.de
More news:
- Dekra survey: Two-thirds of employees work from home even when they are sick. zdf.de
- Ifo survey: Compared to other countries, graduates in Germany work from home more than average. tagesschau.de
- Three out of four Germans don’t fact-check AI. sueddeutsche.de
- Autonomous driving: Uber is collaborating with Momenta from China on robot taxis. heise.de
- Dependent on oil prices: Shell considers takeover of BP. n-tv.de
- Turkey: Justice as a weapon against journalists dw.com
- Press freedom in Italy deteriorates rainews.it
- Reporters Without Borders: Germany slips from the top ten to 11th place in press freedom ranking meedia.de
- Joe Chialos‘ resignation: An assessment of political failure monopol-magazin.de
- „Probably the best option“: German Cultural Council proposes Kai Wegner as Chialo’s successor tagesspiegel.de
- Art made of paper: Paper Positions hosts exhibition at Tempelhof Airport tagesspiegel.de
- Robbie Williams plans to found a creative university viply.de
- Sean „Diddy“ Combs rejects plea deal and heads for major trial musikexpress.de
- Fürth in the doldrums, FCK stumbles – Village club Elversberg from Saarland knocks on the Bundesliga door n-tv.de
- 2nd Bundesliga: Jahn Regensburg relegated after draw against Cologne faz.net
- DFB return to the Nations League? Despite being „on the right track,“ Ter Stegen returns to the bench after comeback in Barcelona kicker.de
- Formula 1: Piastri wins in Miami spiegel.de
- Former Formula 1 driver Jochen Mass has died spiegel.de
Apparently drunk women hijack pontoon and float down the Elbe spiegel.de