Bild: Pensioners 11 times more expensive than retirees / Pensionäre 11-mal teurer als Rentner
FAZ: Europeans invest significantly more money in space exploration / Europäer investieren deutlich mehr Geld in die Raumfahrt
Funke: Audit Office warns of Berlin’s fall into the debt trap / Rechnungshof warnt vor Berlins Absturz in die Schuldenfalle
Handelsblatt: Mr. Nadella, what happens when the AI bubble bursts? / Herr Nadella, was passiert, wenn die KI-Blase platzt?
RND: Youth congress of the party in Gießen – Extreme mosaic: This is how the next AfD generation thinks / Jugendkongress der Partei in Gießen – Extremes Mosaik: So tickt die nächste AfD-Generation
SZ: Macron introduces voluntary military service / Macron führt freiwilligen Militärdienst ein
Tagesspiegel: Attacks on gas pipeline: Nord Stream suspect extradited to Germany / Anschläge auf Gaspipeline: Nord-Stream-Verdächtiger an Deutschland ausgeliefert
taz: Just talk to right-wingers for once / Einfach mal mit Rechten reden
Welt: US President Trump calls it an „act of terror“ / US-Präsident Trump spricht von „Akt des Terrors“
HAUSHALT
Coalition committee struggles for compromises until late at night: The CDU/CSU and SPD ended their talks in the coalition committee after almost six hours during the night. The focus was on the controversial pension package, which is facing resistance from younger MPs in the CDU/CSU parliamentary group and thus threatens the alliance’s own majority. Chancellor Friedrich Merz and Finance Minister Lars Klingbeil led the discussions, which also included the planned 2035 phase-out of combustion engines, changes to the heating law, and savings in health insurance. The results of the talks are to be presented in the morning. handelsblatt.com, zeit.de, rnd.de
UKRAINE
Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy promises a top-level meeting: For next week, Zelenskyy announced decisive talks in his evening video message in the effort to end the war, referring to negotiations that are also important for him. After recent exchanges between Kyiv and Washington, another meeting with US President Donald Trump is considered possible. Both sides have recently moved closer in drafting a peace plan and speak of only minor differences remaining.
- Volodymyr Zelenskyy holds the Kremlin responsible for continuing aggression and calls for global protection mechanisms to safeguard Ukraine. Peace can only arise if international conditions are created to prevent Russian violence and if Kyiv strengthens its defense capabilities.
- Russia’s President Vladimir Putin calls the government in Kyiv illegitimate. There is no point in signing any documents with it. Russia insists on territorial demands and can enforce its goals in Ukraine with military force if necessary. spiegel.de
- Vladimir Putin stresses that Russia is not planning an attack on Europe and is prepared to put this in writing. He calls corresponding accusations from the West „complete nonsense.“ Putin has repeatedly rejected allegations that Russia plans to attack other European countries after Ukraine.
- EU Council President António Costa: „Russia cannot count on Ukraine’s exhaustion.“
- France’s President Emmanuel Macron wants to urge China’s President Xi Jinping once again to exert pressure on Russia to achieve a ceasefire. During his state visit next week, Macron intends to influence China to avoid any escalation regarding Taiwan.
Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt warns of hybrid threats: Germany is not at war, but is a daily target of hybrid warfare, including sabotage, espionage and disinformation, Dobrindt said in the budget debate. It also became known that since the beginning of the year the BKA has registered around 850 suspicious drone overflights over military sites, defense companies and critical infrastructure. Dobrindt announced a strengthening of security authorities and drone defense. His ministry has a budget of 16 billion euros for 2026. In migration policy, Dobrindt highlighted his course focused on „control, stability and strength“; he pointed to falling numbers of irregular migration. tagesspiegel.de, n-tv.de (Drohnensichtungen)
Justice and Consumer Protection Minister Stefanie Hubig warns of online traps: Specifically, she warns of debt traps in online shopping around Black Friday. In the budget debate, she emphasized the importance of the planned cancellation button, which will make it easier to reverse orders. Green politician Till Steffen accused the government of doing too little to protect against unsafe, cheap products from platforms such as Temu and Shein.
Health Minister Nina Warken prepares statutory health insurance members for noticeable cutbacks: In the budget debate, she defended her „small savings package“ against being referred to the mediation committee and called for quick agreements and far-reaching structural reforms in statutory health and long-term care insurance. At the same time, the coalition is setting health policy priorities with additional funds for prevention, drug and addiction prevention, cybersecurity, resilience of the healthcare system and a new women’s health program. There was criticism of the plan to make significant cuts to the funding of international healthcare. The 2026 health budget was increased to 21.77 billion euros. welt.de, apotheke-adhoc.de
Transport Minister Patrick Schnieder announced short-term funds for motorway projects: Construction-ready new and expansion projects in the motorway network are to be approved as early as next week. Patrick Schnieder spoke of an important signal for the construction industry and affected citizens.
- Experts discuss ways to ensure reliable rail transport.
Chancellor Friedrich Merz criticizes US attempts to influence European migration policy: Germany is on the right track after the change of government and does not need advice from outside, said Merz. The background is a directive from Washington instructing US diplomats in Europe, Canada and Australia to advocate stricter immigration rules.
Green Party leader Franziska Brantner calls for a European defense union, arguing for greater European solidarity with Ukraine. The rapid establishment of a European defense union would send a strong political signal. The EU accession process for Ukraine should also be accelerated.
Election committee wants to reject BSW’s objection to the federal election: A recommendation by the Election Review Committee sees no mandate-relevant violations of electoral law, according to Table-Briefings and Politico. Federal and state election authorities found no systematic errors to the detriment of any party. The paper is essentially an expert opinion for the committee, which is to meet on December 4. BSW founder Sahra Wagenknecht announced that she would appeal the rejection of a recount before the Federal Constitutional Court.
Other reports:
- SPD General Secretary Tim Klüssendorf: „The top tax rate kicks in too early.“
- New military service: 2,600 euros per month, 5,000 euros for a driver’s license — and possibly a lottery.
- Bundeswehr fighter jets allowed to practice low-level flights over Germany.
- Nord Stream suspect extradited to Germany.
- Federal President Frank-Walter Steinmeier awards former footballer Toni Kroos the Federal Cross of Merit.
Compromise in Thuringia paves the way for a double budget: The CDU and the Left have agreed on a compromise for the double budget for the next two years. The coalition of CDU, BSW and SPD does not have its own majority and is dependent on support from the opposition. The AfD announced that it would reject the draft in the state parliament. The budget committee will meet in mid-December, and a vote in the state parliament is planned before Christmas.
More news:
- Berlin: Administration experiencing a flood of naturalization lawsuits. welt.de
- Rhineland-Palatinate: Relatives of a victim of the 2021 Ahr Valley flood disaster want to force charges against the former district administrator Jürgen Pföhler and an employee of the technical operations management.
- Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania: Rostock public prosecutor’s office is investigating a fire in the overseas port on suspicion of „anti-constitutional sabotage.“
ESA member states approve a record budget of 22 billion euros for the next three years, the highest in ESA’s history. Germany is contributing the largest single share of around five billion euros. ESA Director General Josef Aschbacher spoke of a historical record and announced that detailed planning of the programs would begin immediately. The meeting also announced that a German astronaut will fly to the Moon in a few years as part of NASA’s Artemis lunar program; no name was given.
Director General of the EU Military Staff Michiel van der Laan pushes for more unity in EU armaments: The goal is to reduce the large number of different weapons systems and thus facilitate cooperation among the armed forces. At a meeting of EU military commanders in Ulm, he pointed out that around 150 different systems are currently in use, causing high costs and low compatibility. The EU has already launched several programs to promote joint procurement.
EU Parliament tightens rules for foreign-funded lobbying: Organizations financed by third countries must provide information on their funding and activities in transparency registers. The new rules apply to communication campaigns, conferences and contributions to consultations. The background is growing concern about foreign actors influencing democratic decision-making processes in the EU.
Welfare recipients must take action themselves when looking for housing: According to the Federal Social Court, job centers are not obliged to help welfare recipients search for cheaper apartments. A plaintiff in Berlin had complained that the office urged him to move but did not provide him with suitable offers. The court ruled that job centers only have to set comprehensible rent ceilings that take the regional housing market into account.
Further reports:
- Chemical company Wacker plans to cut 1,500 jobs.
- Defense start-up Quantum receives fresh investor funding.
- Nutrition report: Consumers are paying more attention to price again.
- Germany: Renewables cover more than half of gross electricity consumption.
- Baywa aims to reduce debt by more than four billion euros.
- OECD recommends longer working lives to finance pensions.
- Donors’ council expects fewer financial contributions for non-profit organizations this year.
- German astronaut to fly on Artemis Moon mission.
In Germany, the concept of “Feierabend” isn’t just the end of the workday — it’s a sacred cultural institution. The moment the clock strikes quitting time, Germans enter a protected zone where work-related thoughts are politely shown the door. Emails? Tomorrow. Phone calls? Bitte nicht. Even supermarkets seem to respect the ritual: have you ever tried buying groceries at 20:59? You’ll feel the nation’s collective will pushing you toward the checkout. Here, unplugging isn’t laziness — it’s efficiency in its final, most elegant form.