Bild: Chancellor, we voters feel betrayed / Kanzler, wir Wähler fühlen uns betrogen
FAZ: Bundestag passes „booster“ for growth and rent control / Bundestag beschließt „Booster“ für Wachstum und Mietpreisbremse
Funke: Staff shortages: Social welfare offices make the needy wait for months / Personalmangel: Sozialämter lassen Bedürftige monatelang warten
Handelsblatt: Investing in times of crisis / Geldanlage in Krisenzeiten
RND: Only the bomb protects: Lessons from Trump’s attack on Iran’s nuclear facilities / Nur die Bombe schützt: Lehren aus Trumps Angriff auf Irans Atomanlagen
SZ: First major coalition dispute / Erster handfester Koalitionskrach
Tagesspiegel: Dispute over electricity tax: Wegner and Haseloff also demand relief for consumers / Streit um Stromsteuer: Wegner und Haseloff fordern auch Entlastung von Verbrauchern
taz: No right to family / Kein Recht auf Familie
Welt: Number of insolvencies rises to ten-year high / Zahl der Insolvenzen steigt auf ein Zehn-Jahres-Hoch
EU countries call on Iran and Israel to show restraint and respect international law: In a joint statement, the EU leaders emphasized that Iran must never obtain nuclear weapons, but that this can only be achieved through negotiations. They welcomed the ceasefire between Israel and Iran, and called on Israel to implement an immediate ceasefire in Gaza and improve humanitarian access. Israel, they said, must meet its obligations under international law. A suspension of the EU-Israel association agreement, as some member states had demanded, was not decided. spiegel.de, n-tv.de
Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has declared his country the victor in the war with Israel: Speaking on Iranian state television, Khamenei said the U.S. intervened only to prevent Israel from being destroyed. He claimed the Islamic Republic had prevailed and had dealt a blow to the U.S. in retaliation, referring to Monday’s Iranian missile strike on a U.S. base in Qatar, which caused no injuries. tagesschau.de, zdfheute.de, spiegel.de
- Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul called on Tehran to continue cooperating with the West in the dispute over its nuclear program. He said the Iranian parliament’s decision to suspend cooperation with the IAEA sent an entirely wrong signal.
Israel suspends aid deliveries to Gaza for two days: The Israeli government announced in the evening that the move is intended to prevent Hamas from seizing the supplies. Hamas has repeatedly denied Israeli accusations that it diverts food aid. derstandard.at, faz.net
EU heads of state and government discuss further support for Ukraine and new sanctions against Russia: The proposed 18th sanctions package included a complete phase-out of gas contracts with Moscow by 2028. However, due to opposition from Slovakia, the package was not adopted. Instead, leaders agreed only to extend the existing measures. At the summit, the EU reaffirmed its continued support for Ukraine; all member states except Hungary signed the joint declaration. n-tv.de
Bundestag
- Major tax relief package for businesses: The Bundestag approved billions in tax breaks, primarily aimed at encouraging investment through expanded depreciation options. A corporate tax cut is also planned, set to take effect in 2028. . zdfheute.de
- Extension of rent control until the end of 2029: The measure targets cities with tight housing markets. The law was supported by the CDU/CSU, SPD, and the Greens. zdfheute.de
- Extension of Bundeswehr participation in international missions in Kosovo and Lebanon: Germany’s navy continues to patrol off the Lebanese coast to prevent arms smuggling to the Hezbollah militia. stuttgarter-nachrichten.de
- Telecommunications expansion declared a top public interest: A new law gives fiber optic and mobile network expansion priority status to accelerate infrastructure upgrades.
Debate over electricity tax: CDU/CSU parliamentary leader Jens Spahn reiterated that the government must cut electricity taxes for everyone, not just industry. CDU Secretary General Carsten Linnemann and CSU leader Alexander Hoffmann made similar statements. zdfheute.de
- NRW SPD leader Achim Post confirmed: “The electricity tax cut will include private households.” rp-online.de
- Consumer groups and the retail association HDE criticized any move to exclude households, calling it a breach of trust.
Digital Pact 2.0 for schools secured: Education Minister Karin Prien announced €2.5 billion from federal infrastructure funds and another €4 billion for education initiatives. Funding could be available starting in 2026. stern.de
Transport Minister supports fixed pricing for the Germany Ticket: Ministers will meet Friday to discuss how to fund the €49 nationwide public transport ticket beyond 2025. The Left Party demands a higher federal contribution to sustain the offer and expand infrastructure. spiegel.de, tagesschau.de
Agriculture Minister opposes meat tax for animal welfare: Minister Alois Rainer rejected the idea of extra charges on meat, citing already rising food costs. He advocates for separate funding to support animal-friendly farm renovations. Farmers‘ President Joachim Rukwied demands €1.5 billion annually in investment grants. sueddeutsche.de
First steps in radio reform: As part of a broader broadcasting reform, some digital-only stations (like WDR’s children’s station Maus-Radio) may be discontinued or merged. By 2027, youth channels from SWR, SR, and HR are expected to consolidate, along with news stations like SWR Aktuell and hr-INFO. saechsische.de, dwdl.de
Municipal associations demand tougher migration policy. Germany’s leading municipal associations are calling on the CDU-SPD federal government to further tighten migration policies. According to André Berghegger, head of the Association of Towns and Municipalities, local authorities are overwhelmed with housing, caring for, and integrating refugees. He urged a „sustainable limitation of illegal migration“ and a return initiative for those without a right to stay, especially for individuals who have lost their residence status due to criminal offenses.rnd.de
- New government policy: Border rejections allowed. Since May 7, Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt (CSU) has allowed asylum seekers to be turned back at land borders and announced stricter border controls. The president of the County Association, Achim Brötel, supports this shift and advocates for additional steps such as suspending voluntary admission programs and introducing temporary restrictions on family reunification.
- 24,000 fewer migrants: CDU and SPD agree on tougher measures against refugees. The number of asylum applications continues to fall. From January to May 2025, around 54,000 first-time asylum requests were filed — nearly half as many as during the same period in 2024. n-tv.de
Kremlin-linked channels boast about attack on German military in Erfurt: A video has surfaced on Russian propaganda channels allegedly showing the arson attack on military trucks in Erfurt last weekend. According to MDR research, the short clip depicts burning Bundeswehr trucks at a company site in northern Erfurt. Four Bundeswehr trucks were completely destroyed at the workshop of MAN, a service partner of the military, and two others were slightly damaged. The Russian caption claims that military equipment for Ukrainian forces is being repaired in Erfurt and says, „Nobody needs that, so the trucks were simply burned.“ tagesspiegel.de, rnd.de
More news in Germany
Baden-Württemberg: Police shoot Afghan asylum seeker after knife attack in Wangen near Stuttgart. zdfheute.de
Berlin: Mayor Kai Wegner clearly opposes a car-free city center. tagesspiegel.d
Brandenburg: Majority opposes AfD ban proceedings.tagesspiegel.de
Brandenburg: CDU nominates Willo Göpel as candidate for mayoral election in Potsdam. rbb24.de
Hamburg: Fine for AfD politician over post featuring Nazi-era document. n-tv.de
Hessen: Politicians divided over use of Nazi-era jargon in graduation mottos. faz.net
Hessen: Mobile phone ban in schools to take effect after the summer break. faz.net
EU Summit:
- Path cleared for Bulgaria to adopt the euro. spiegel.de
- Chancellor Friedrich Merz pushed for more speed from the EU Commission in its negotiations on U.S. tariffs.zeit.de
- EU considers replacement for the now largely paralyzed WTO. tagesspiegel.de
- Informal meeting in Brussels: Chancellor Friedrich Merz joins the club of EU migration hardliners. n-tv.de
80th Anniversary of the UN:
UN Secretary-General António Guterres laments growing attacks on the UN Charter. Humanitarian international law is being violated and undermined, he said during a special session of the General Assembly in New York; there is also an increase in violence against sovereign nations.
Incoming President of the UN General Assembly Annalena Baerbock told RBB that without the UN rules, the world would face anarchy and chaos. She acknowledged that the structures need reform, as the current system reflects the world as it was 80 years ago.
Other reports:
- According to a UN report, 316 million people use drugs. faz.net
- EU wants to make bank resolution easier. handelsblatt.com
- Number of corporate insolvencies reaches ten-year high. n-tv.de
- Broadband: Providers deliver more performance – but often still not what was paid for. heise.de
- PwC study warns of tipping points in Germany’s power supply. handelsblatt.com
- Deutsche Bahn plans to cut 21,000 seats in long-distance service. spiegel.de
- Spanish banking giant BBVA pushes into the German market. sueddeutsche.de
Berlin Talent is an initiative by Berlin Partner, the city’s economic development agency, dedicated to connecting skilled professionals with job opportunities in Berlin’s vibrant labor market. Through services like the Talent Portal and joint recruiting campaigns, Berlin Talent helps companies attract, recruit, and onboard both local and international talent, offering support with everything from job postings and work permits to welcome packages and integration resources.
For job seekers and new Berliners, Berlin Talent provides guidance on navigating the city’s job market, understanding employer expectations, and settling into life in the capital. With a strong network and tailored support, the initiative strengthens Berlin’s reputation as a diverse, innovative, and welcoming city for professionals from around the world.
The longest official German word had 63 letters.
It was:
Rindfleischetikettierungsüberwachungsaufgabenübertragungsgesetz
(= „Beef labeling regulation & delegation of monitoring duties law“)
This compound word was used in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern’s state bureaucracy and referred to a specific law regulating beef labeling — but it was eventually abolished in 2013, partly because of how impractical the name was. Germans love compound words, and while they’re often dropped in everyday speech, you’ll still find impressive word monsters in legal and technical contexts.