Bild: Merz in the pension squeeze / Merz in der Renten Zange!
FAZ: Merz and Söder admonish the party youth in the pension dispute / Merz und Söder ermahnen die Parteijugend im Rentenstreit
Funke: Berlin’s fire chief wants restrictions on New Year’s Eve rockets / Feuerwehrchef will Einschränkungen von Raketen an Silvester in Berlin
Handelsblatt: The Bitcoin crisis / Die Bitcoin-Krise
RND: Football ultras protest together in Leipzig against interior ministers’ plans / Fußball-Ultras protestieren in Leipzig gemeinsam gegen Pläne der Innenminister
SZ: Söder wants new pension negotiations / Söder will neue Verhandlungen bei Rente
Tagesspiegel: Mostly young men: Berlin registers more Ukrainian refugees than at any time since 2023 / Vor allem junge Männer: Berlin registriert so viele ukrainische Geflüchtete wie seit 2023 nicht
taz: EU’s new „data dirt“ plans / Neue Datenschmutzpläne der EU
Welt: Prominent backing for the Young Union in the pension dispute / Prominente Rückendeckung für Junge Union im Rentenstreit
Renten debate
Chancellor Friedrich Merz defends the pension package and refers to the coalition agreement: Merz has at the same time signaled willingness to pursue reforms for the period after 2031. On ARD he stressed that he supports the Young Union’s call for structural changes, but pointed to the commitments in the coalition agreement. A pension commission is to be appointed later this year to develop proposals for the system after 2031. Merz also emphasized that it is his task to maintain unity within the government. tagesschau.de, zdfheute.de, spiegel.de, sueddeutsche.de
- The Young Union is calling for the pension plans to be rejected in the Bundestag. Delegates at the „Deutschlandtag“ warn of excessive costs and burdens for the younger generation. If the threatened 18 young Union MPs were to vote no, the coalition would not have its own majority.
- Chair of the Young Group Pascal Reddig reaffirms the rejection. zdfheute.de
- Chancellor Friedrich Merz urges the Young Union to be constructive in the pension dispute. He emphasizes that the Union must show responsibility and points to tough negotiations with the SPD in which he defended the interests of the younger generation.
- Economy Minister Katherina Reiche shows understanding for the Young Union’s criticism but sticks to the cabinet decision on pension reform. She stresses the need for longer working lives and wants to incorporate reform proposals from the pension commission later.
- CSU leader Markus Söder warned at the Deutschlandtag that a coalition break over pension reform would politically paralyze Chancellor Friedrich Merz. A minority government might be attractive short-term, but long-term it would be incapable of action, he said, referring to historical parallels with the Weimar Republic. tagesspiegel.de
- Parliamentary group leader Jens Spahn rules out changes to the pension compromise. The agreement was hard-fought and is of central importance to the SPD – similar to how migration policy is central to the Union.
- CDU social wing leader Dennis Radtke calls for the pension reform to be postponed. He describes the situation as „maximally deadlocked“ and warns that social security and generational fairness must be considered together – but not under pressure.
- SPD leader Lars Klingbeil rejects any changes to the pension law. The package was adopted in the cabinet without debate and will not be reopened, Klingbeil said at the SPD state party conference in Ulm.
GAZA
Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu rejects a US-backed UN initiative on a Palestinian state: Nothing has changed in his opposition to a Palestinian state. He was responding to growing pressure from far-right coalition partners. The background is a UN declaration supported by the US that hints at a path to Palestinian independence and is part of a draft resolution on the Gaza peace plan by US President Donald Trump. Far-right ministers Itamar Ben-Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich had sharply criticized the declaration and threatened to break up the coalition.
- Benjamin Netanyahu has announced tougher action against violent acts by Jewish settlers in the West Bank. In a cabinet meeting he spoke of a „small minority“ responsible for the unrest and emphasized the loyalty of the majority. According to AP, the prime minister commented publicly on the increase in incidents for the first time.
Israel’s armed forces have shot dead a 19-year-old Palestinian in the northern West Bank who, according to the military, had thrown an explosive device at soldiers. The Palestinian Health Ministry confirmed the teenager’s death. - The UN World Food Programme sees moderate progress in humanitarian aid in the Gaza Strip since the start of the ceasefire, according to Germany director Martin Frick. So far about 30,000 tons of food have arrived; in the south, aid deliveries reach about half the intended amount. Supplying the north remains difficult because roads are blocked and destruction is extensive.
- As part of the ongoing ceasefire, Israel has handed over 15 bodies of Palestinian victims to the Gaza Strip. The exchange deal with Hamas provides for the return of 15 bodies from Gaza for each Israeli hostage. Currently, three bodies of Israeli hostages remain in the Gaza Strip, including that of a Thai citizen abducted from Israel.
UNIFIL accuses Israel of firing at peacekeepers in southern Lebanon: According to the UN force, the soldiers came under fire from a tank but were not injured. The peacekeepers were on foot and had to seek cover in the terrain. Israel’s army called it an accident, saying the tank crew had fired warning shots because of two allegedly suspicious individuals. Only after checking did it become clear that the people were UN soldiers on patrol.
UKRAINE
Ukraine’s foreign minister Andriy Sybiha calls on the West to finance Ukrainian drone production: Ukraine could produce up to 20 million drones next year if sufficient funds are made available, he said on X. The current arms race will not be decided by nuclear weapons but by the ability to produce cheap drones in large numbers. Russia’s president Vladimir Putin will only end the war if he no longer believes in a military victory and the costs of continuing become too high. Sybiha did not name a specific amount.
Kyiv wants to resume prisoner exchanges with Russia. It concerns the return of 1,200 Ukrainian soldiers from Russian captivity, wrote former defense minister Rustem Umerov—now appointed Ukraine’s ambassador to the US—on Telegram. The return is to take place before the holidays.
BamS Sunday trend by Insa: CDU/CSU 25 percent, AfD 26 percent, SPD 15 percent, Greens 11 percent (-1), Left 11 percent, BSW 4 percent, FDP 3 percent, Others 5 percent. bild.de
FAZ Sunday poll by Allensbach: CDU/CSU 27 percent (+1), AfD 24.5 percent (-1), SPD 15.5 percent (+0.5), Greens 11 percent, Left 10 percent (-1), BSW 4 percent, FDP 3.5 percent (+0.5), Others 5 percent. faz.net
Munich is still the most expensive city in Germany, with living costs around 24% above the national average. In the seven major cities, rents are nearly 50% higher than elsewhere. Berlin is 6.2% above average. Cheaper regions include parts of Eastern Germany and rural Lower Saxony, where living costs are about 10% lower. High prices generally correlate with higher local incomes, and inflation has affected all regions equally. tagesspiegel.de
CDU foreign policy expert Roderich Kiesewetter rejects statements by Saxony’s Minister President Michael Kretschmer on Russian gas deliveries: Kiesewetter sharply criticized considerations about resuming energy relations with Russia. He told the Handelsblatt it was absurd to speculate about future gas imports in the middle of Russia’s ongoing war of aggression. Russia destroys Ukrainian infrastructure every day. Kretschmer’s proposal was therefore irresponsible in terms of security policy and undermines Europe’s united stance toward Moscow. tagesschau.de
- Saxony’s Minister President Michael Kretschmer told the Funke newspapers that he is calling for a return to energy deliveries from Russia after a possible ceasefire in the Ukraine war. Kretschmer stressed that Germany and Europe need affordable energy but must avoid new dependencies. When asked whether he did not feel threatened by Russian President Vladimir Putin, Kretschmer said that Russia had attacked another country.
- Left Party leader Jan van Aken calls for an immediate stop to liquefied gas imports from Russia. He criticized the fact that the state-owned company Sefe continues to purchase billions of cubic meters of LNG from Russia, thereby filling Putin’s war chest. rnd.de
Remembrance on Volkstrauertag: On Sunday, Germany commemorated the victims of war and tyranny. Federal President Frank-Walter Steinmeier, Chancellor Friedrich Merz and Italy’s President Sergio Mattarella laid wreaths at the central memorial. Flags nationwide were flown at half-mast, accompanied by church services and remembrance ceremonies. Volkstrauertag, introduced in 1919, originally commemorated the fallen of the First World War.
- Bundestag President Julia Klöckner used Volkstrauertag to remind that peace and democracy are not a given. „They are tasks that begin anew every day and that no one else can do for us.“ She called for remembrance to be understood as a mandate to act. Klöckner had ordered mourning flags for the Reichstag building for the day.
- Italy’s President Sergio Mattarella used his speech in the Bundestag to affirm his commitment to multilateralism. He described it as a language of shared responsibility and an indispensable instrument for peaceful conflict resolution, also in view of current wars.
- German War Graves Commission President Wolfgang Schneiderhan recalled the total destruction of Germany in 1945 and the „moral rubble“ left after the war of annihilation. He emphasized how unimaginable it seemed at the time that the country could find a future again after millions of deaths.
Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul urges Western Balkan states to reform and adhere to the Dayton Agreement: In Sarajevo, Wadephul called on Bosnia-Herzegovina to implement further reforms and respect the peace accord. He stressed the need to protect the country’s territorial integrity as well as its European perspective. Wadephul met High Representative Christian Schmidt, who oversees implementation of the agreement. In the coming days he plans to visit all six Western Balkan states to discuss their EU accession progress. In view of increasing influence by Russia and China, he stressed that rule of law and fighting corruption are indispensable for EU membership. stern.de
Economy Minister Katherina Reiche seeks closer economic ties with Gulf states: Reiche wants to expand cooperation with Qatar and the United Arab Emirates and announced new industrial partnerships ahead of her visit to both countries. She praised their economic strength and innovative capacity. In Qatar she is expected to address the threat of restricting LNG exports due to the EU supply chain directive; in the UAE, the possible takeover of Covestro by the state-owned company Adnoc. rnd.de, zeit.de
Finance Minister Lars Klingbeil pushes for fair competition in Beijing: Klingbeil is taking part in the German-Chinese financial dialogue on Monday, accompanied by representatives from German banks and insurers. He aims to secure better market access for financial companies and fairer competitive conditions. According to the Foreign Office, topics also include China’s export controls on rare earths, trade issues related to overcapacity in steel and e-mobility, and the war in Ukraine. On Wednesday, Klingbeil will continue on to Shanghai to meet German companies on site. rnd.de, zeit.de
Parliamentary Commissioner for the Armed Forces Henning Otte welcomes the compromise on the new military service law: The planned six-monthly reporting obligation for the Defence Ministry will allow good oversight of the effectiveness of the voluntary model, Otte said on Deutschlandfunk. If it becomes clear that the set goals are not being met, compulsory service could be reconsidered. The law, due to come into force at the turn of the year, includes increasing the Bundeswehr’s strength and expanding voluntary service.
- Saxony’s Interior Minister Armin Schuster calls in the Funke newspapers for a stronger focus on civil protection. A military replacement service would have provided thousands of additional personnel annually for civil defense and disaster protection. Schuster criticized that discussions about conscription have so far focused almost exclusively on military aspects.
Proposal by CSU leader Markus Söder for mini nuclear reactors meets SPD resistance: Energy policy expert Nina Scheer emphasized the high costs, increased safety risks and greater nuclear waste from „small modular reactors“ compared with conventional nuclear plants. She pointed out that renewable energies combined with storage are significantly cheaper. welt.de, tagesschau.de
Other reports:
- Family Minister Karin Prien has appointed Parliamentary State Secretary Mareike Wulf as Children’s Commissioner.
- Minister of State for Culture Wolfram Weimer welcomes the cancellation of a controversial auction of Holocaust memorabilia in Neuss.
- Dispute over Palantir’s „Gotham“ software at the federal level.
- Joint exercise: Bundeswehr conducts its first maneuver in New Zealand.
- Authorities are searching for 535 right-wing extremists with outstanding arrest warrants.
- Friedrich Loeffler Institute: Already 1.5 million animals culled due to avian flu.
- Expert opinion from Hesse: Public administration can use Microsoft 365 in a data-protection-compliant way.
- Many people are concerned about safety at Christmas markets.
Berlin has sharply increased fines for illegal waste disposal: cigarette butts can now cost up to 3,000 euros, bulky waste up to 11,000 euros, and hazardous construction materials or chemicals up to 100,000 euros. The goal is to deter offenders and reduce the city’s growing waste problem. zdfheute.de
- Berlin: SPD delegates elect Steffen Krach as lead candidate for the 2026 autumn election to the House of Representatives, without any opposing votes.
- Rhineland-Palatinate: The CDU elects state chairman Gordon Schnieder as lead candidate for the state election on March 22.
- Schleswig-Holstein: The SPD will no longer hold the mayor’s office in Kiel – a runoff on December 7 between non-party candidate Gerrit Derkowski (supported by CDU and FDP) and Green politician Samet Yilmaz.
- Bavaria: The CSU calls for the cancellation of a Middle East-related event at LMU.Thuringia: Minister President Mario Voigt announces more funding for sports facilities.
- Baden-Württemberg: State parliament examines a special session over corruption suspicions.
- Berlin: Fire chief Karsten Homrighausen calls for a ban on fireworks on New Year’s Eve.
- Berlin: School principal reportedly attacked and threatened with death.
- Rhineland-Palatinate: Postal service tests mail-in ballots for the 2026 state election.
COP30
Environment Minister Carsten Schneider praises protection of the Amazon during a visit to Belém: As part of his participation in the world climate conference, Schneider visited a Quilombola community in the Amazon region and inspected local environmental projects. He emphasized the importance of traditional communities for preserving the rainforest and called it a central component of global climate protection. In Belém, Germany is supporting an urban park project on climate adaptation. Schneider announced he would soon specify Germany’s contribution to the global Tropical Forest Finance Fund (TFFF). zeit.de
EUROPE + WORLD
EU Commission plans levy on unhealthy foods: Brussels is targeting highly processed foods with high sugar, fat, or salt content. The “micro-levy” is intended as a tool to encourage healthier eating habits, according to an internal draft seen by dpa. The Commission argues that such a levy could also help maintain price stability and push manufacturers toward healthier recipes.
Other reports:
- WHO conference discusses handling of tobacco and nicotine.
- EU prepares summit on Russian assets and the EU budget.
- EU budget negotiations: the EU plans more spending on defense and border protection.
- Activist on EU initiative: “Data protection weakened by a thousand small cuts.”
- Digital rights in Europe: protect your data yourselves.
- EU strengthens consumer protection: Klarna and PayPal will have to check creditworthiness for small loans.
- Mercosur trade agreement: parliamentarians look to the European Court of Justice.
Cyprus announces natural gas exports to the EU starting in 2027: President Nikos Christodoulides said after a meeting with Chancellor Friedrich Merz that his country will cooperate with Egypt, Israel and other regional partners. Agreements on extraction and transport have already been signed. The background is the EU’s ongoing search for alternatives to Russian gas since the start of the Ukraine war. Initial gas deposits were discovered in southern Cyprus, but have not yet been developed. orf.at
The railway plans a record number of construction sites next year: Rail chief Evelyn Palla expects around 28,000 construction sites on the rail network in 2025, about 2,000 more than this year. The reason is heavily aging infrastructure and an unexpectedly high number of slow-speed sections and unplanned repairs. The goal for 2026 is to stabilize punctuality and stop the negative trend. In long-distance traffic, the punctuality rate is currently only 51.5 percent; Palla considers 55 percent next year insufficient. She plans to present a comprehensive reform and modernization concept to the supervisory board in December.
Other news:
- Number of over-indebted people has risen.
- Munich remains the most expensive city in Germany.
- Butter prices continue to fall.
- Gerhard Richter remains the world’s most important artist.
- Former U.S. ambassador Amy Gutmann and physicist Daniel Zajfman honored with the Prize for Understanding and Tolerance.
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In Germany, people love to debate which city is “the best”—but when it comes to prices, Munich wins every single time. Locals joke that living there requires either a very good job… or a very rich grandma. If your rent feels high in Berlin, just remember: in Munich, that same money might only get you a balcony with “Bergblick*—*if you lean out very, very far.”