Bild: Discounters let the prices tumble! | Discounter Lassen die Preise purzeln!
FAZ: SPD wants to cap co-payment for nursing care at a thousand euros | SPD will Eigenanteil bei der Pflege auf tausend Euro deckeln
Handelsblatt: Habeck’s admission | Habecks Eingeständnis
RND: Love in times of war: Ukrainians can now marry via an app |Liebe in Zeiten des Krieges: Ukrainer können jetzt per App heiraten
SZ: SPD wants to relieve the ‘working middle class’ | SPD will „arbeitende Mitte“ entlasten
Tagesspiegel: Plans for the federal election: Greens want to relieve the burden on the insured and support family carers | Pläne zur Bundestagswahl: Grüne wollen Versicherte entlasten und pflegende Angehörige unterstützen
taz: Exhausted | Abgekämpft
Welt: Broad criticism of Habeck’s push for a billionaire tax | Breite Kritik an Habecks Vorstoß für Milliardärssteuer
Chancellor Olaf Scholz puts vote of confidence in Bundestag: Relying on Article 68, he will ask MPs to express their confidence in him. If, as intended, he does not get a majority, he will call on Federal President Frank-Walter Steinmeier to dissolve the Bundestag after the session. It is considered near impossible that Scholz will achieve the necessary 367 votes he needs to retain the confidence of the Bundestag. zeit.de, zdf.de
CDU, CSU, FDP and SPD have chosen their lead candidates for the early federal election.
- Chancellor Olaf Scholz was elected to the top spot on the Brandenburg SPD list at a party conference in Potsdam with almost 91 per cent of the vote. In 2021, he won the direct mandate in Potsdam against Green Party politician Annalena Baerbock. tagesspiegel.de
- The Christian Democratic Union’s (CDU) candidate for Chancellor, Friedrich Merz, has secured the top spot on the CDU’s state list in North Rhine-Westphalia. At a state representative assembly in Essen, he received 99.6 per cent of the vote. rp-online.de
- CSU state parliamentary group leader Alexander Dobrindt was elected with 93 percent approval when the list was drawn up in Munich. The state list has less relevance in the CSU. The 45 members of parliament sent by the CSU to the Bundestag in 2021 were all winners of the direct mandates. spiegel.de
- FDP leader Christian Lindner of the North Rhine-Westphalia FDP has been chosen as the party’s top candidate. At a state election convention in Bielefeld, 94 per cent of the delegates voted for the Wuppertal-born politician to head the state list. Second place went to former justice minister and current FDP general secretary Marco Buschmann, and third place to former general secretary Bijan Djir-Sarai. zeit.de
The CDU/CSU want to campaign on a promise of comprehensive tax relief: corporate taxes would be capped at 25 per cent and electricity tax and grid fees would also be reduced. The solidarity surcharge would be completely abolished. CDU/CSU want to gradually reintroduce compulsory military service, enforce a ban on the admission of illegal migrants and equip the borders with modern security technology such as drones, night vision and thermal imaging cameras. The 79-page draft of the election programme ‘Politikwechsel für Deutschland’ (Political Change for Germany) states that, with regard to education, language tests should be made compulsory before children start school. faz.net, spiegel.de
SPD focuses on rent cap and care relief: In their election programme, which is to be presented next week, the Social Democrats propose capping the co-payment for long-term inpatient care in nursing homes at a maximum of 1,000 euros per month. Residents would benefit from a reduction of almost 700 euros on average. Furthermore, the Social Democrats want to attract voters by permanently lifting the rent brake. The SPD wants to boost the economy with a ‘Germany fund’ for future projects; the fund is to be endowed with 100 billion euros to promote investments in electricity and heating networks, e-charging stations or housing construction. According to the SPD, this would be possible without reforming the debt brake. sueddeutsche.de, zdf.de
Greens launch election campaign with climate money and cheap energy: The climate money is intended to benefit people on low and middle incomes, as compensation for the rising cost of CO2, for example when heating and refuelling. The Ampel set out plans for this payment in the coalition agreement, but never implemented it. The Greens also want the state to support the purchase and charging of electric cars. The draft of the election programme mentions state support for the purchase of an electric car. The Greens want to supplement the statutory pension with a so-called ‘citizens’ fund’, reports the Süddeutsche. This should be funded by federal loans and own funds. sueddeutsche.de, handelsblatt.com
BamS Sunday trend from Insa: CDU 31 per cent (-1), SPD 17 per cent (+1), Greens 11 per cent (-1), FDP 5 per cent (+1), AfD 20 per cent (+1), Left Party 3 per cent (-1), BSW 8 per cent, other 5 per cent. bild.de
UN Special Envoy for Syria Geir Pedersen in Damascus: Of course, Pedersen said, people must be held accountable for crimes. At the same time, he said, it must be ensured that this is done through a credible justice system and that no retaliation is seen. Furthermore, Pedersen is pushing for a political process that includes all Syrians, and on which they can count on the help and support of the international community. Pedersen had advocated the lifting of international sanctions against the rebel group HTS, which played a major role in the victory over the Assad regime a week ago. handelsblatt.com, n-tv.de
Hezbollah has lost its supply route for weapons through Syria, according to militia leader Naim Kassim. However, Kassim said that they would adapt to the circumstances and hoped that the new leadership in Syria would consider Israel an enemy. Hezbollah had been in a months-long war with Israel until a ceasefire was agreed at the end of November. So far, it has mainly been supported by Iran with weapons, including overland through Syria, which is also allied with Hezbollah under the rule of Bashar al-Assad. t-online.de
Numerous North Korean soldiers killed in action in Ukraine: President Volodymyr Zelensky said that the losses were significant, without giving any figures. He added that the Russian military is now deploying large numbers of North Koreans at the front. They are fighting mainly in the Russian Kursk region, which the Ukrainian army had advanced into a few months ago. The North Koreans are now largely integrated into the Russian units and could soon appear on other sections of the front line. waz.de
SPD, Greens and FDP agree on tax relief and child benefit increase: The corresponding law from the days of the traffic-light coalition government is to be passed in the Bundestag before the planned new election in February. The plan is to raise the tax-free income allowance and dampen cold progression. Child benefit is also to be increased by five euros to 255 euros per month. The FDP had made its approval contingent on the condition that the plans do not result in any new administrative costs for companies. In order for the law to come into force, both the Bundestag and the Bundesrat must give their consent. tagesschau.de
Federal and state governments agree on Digital Pact 2.0 for schools: Education Minister Cem Özdemir announced that the federal and state governments will each invest 2.5 billion euros over the next six years in equipping schools with laptops and modern IT infrastructure. The money will also be used for the further training of teachers. The agreement is subject to future budget decisions. So far, the federal government has contributed most of the money for the digitisation of schools. There was resistance from the federal states to the new 50:50 split. spiegel.de
Minister for Economic Affairs Robert Habeck doubts coal phase-out by 2030: Habeck said that energy security was his priority. Coal-fired power plants could only be taken off the grid when there were sufficient alternatives, such as gas-fired power plants. However, the planning and legal regulations for such reserve power plants are not making any progress. The new plants are intended to prevent power outages by compensating for the fluctuating generation of wind or solar power. tagesspiegel.de , handelsblatt.com
Defence Minister Boris Pistorius calls for defence spending of ‘significantly more’ than two percent of GDP: Against this backdrop, it is imperative to also discuss sustainable financing and adjustment of the debt brake, writes Pistorius in a guest article in WamS. The Bundeswehr must be positioned in terms of personnel, material and finances in such a way that it can defend the country ‘with staying power’. What is needed is an army capable of war. welt .de, zdf.de
Government does not expect the crisis in the German economy to end any time soon: According to the latest BMWK monthly report, a sustainable economic turnaround is not yet in sight. The reasons for this are the high level of uncertainty with regard to geopolitical developments, the possible tariff increases of the incoming US administration and the planned new elections in Germany. In addition, it is expected that the weak development of the labour market will have an impact. tagesspiegel.de
AfD leader Tino Chrupalla questions NATO membership: The alliance is too strongly aligned with the USA, Chrupalle told Die Welt. Europe is forced to implement America’s interests. But NATO must accept and respect the interests of all European countries – including Russia’s interests. In addition, Chrupalla called on the German government to recognise Russia’s victory in the Ukraine war. zeit.de, n-tv.de
Arrest warrants issued for four suspected right-wing extremists after attack on SPD politician in Berlin: They are between 16 and 19 years old, according to police and prosecutors; the public prosecutor’s office is investigating. The suspects had travelled to Berlin to attend a far-right rally. They had initially attacked two SPD election campaigners at an information stand in Berlin-Lichterfelde; one of them was hospitalised. Two police officers were also injured later. tagesspiegel. de, rbb24.de, rnd.de
Thousands have obstructed the right-wing march in Berlin’s Friedrichshain and Lichtenberg districts. Police reported that a total of 2,500 to 3,000 counter-demonstrators had gathered at several locations along the planned route of the march. During the demonstration, stones and bottles were thrown at police officers, some of whom were injured as a result. According to the police, around 60 right-wing extremists gathered to march from Ostkreuz station along Frankfurter Allee to Lichtenberger Brücke. Around 500 demonstrators had registered. rbb24.de
Palestine supporters invade LKA building in Berlin: They demanded the release of a fellow campaigner from preventive custody, and a forbidden slogan was also shouted. Security forces forcibly ejected the intruders from the building. Nineteen members of the group were detained by the police in the vicinity to record their personal details. The state security service is investigating. t-online.de
More Regional:
- Saxony: CDU votes in favour of coalition agreement with the SPD; SPD decision on Monday. mdr.de
- North Rhine-Westphalia: Second national park in North Rhine-Westphalia ruled out following referendum in Kleve. waz.de
- Rhineland-Palatinate: State government relaxes Sunday ban on lorries due to damaged Moselle lock. tagesschau.de
- Lower Saxony: Activists paint over swastikas with purple hearts in Göttingen. ndr.de
- NRW: Petition calls on Chancellor Olaf Scholz to advocate for the release of a woman from Cologne in Iran. ksta.de
- NRW: Police give all-clear after suitcase found at Christmas market. zdf.de
France’s new Prime Minister Francois Bayrou sees a long road ahead for a government without a parliamentary majority: The 73-year-old Bayrou is the founder of the small ‘Democratic Movement’ party, which is considered centrist. Bayrou is to form a government in the coming days. The Socialists indicated that they would tolerate a new government under the leadership of the centrist Bayrou. Marine Le Pen, the leader of the National Rally faction, called on Bayrou to listen to the opposition and to draw up a reasonable and well-thought-out budget. The left-wing populist ‘Indomitable France’ ruled out working with Bayrou. faz.net , handelsblatt.com
Election body in Georgia appoints pro-Russian politician Mikheil Kavelasvhili as president: The ultra-right former football pro is to become the successor to President Salome Zourabichvili, despite ongoing protests in the country. He was the only candidate and was nominated by the national-conservative ruling party ‘Georgian Dream’. The opposition and the incumbent had announced that they would not recognise the decision of the electoral college. Several thousand people protested against Kavelashvili’s appointment in front of parliament in Tbilisi. derstandard.at, tagesschau.de
Congo and Rwanda call off peace summit over conflict in North Kivu: The government of Congo accused Rwanda of refusing to negotiate. The foreign ministry in Kigali merely stated that the meeting scheduled in the mediator state of Angola had been postponed. In the province of North Kivu in eastern Congo, the army is fighting against the rebel group M23. The government in Kinshasa accuses Rwanda of supporting them, which is denied there. However, it admitted to having stationed soldiers and rocket systems in eastern Congo to ensure its own security. derstandard.at
South Korea’s parliament votes in favour of impeachment proceedings against President Yoon Suk-yeol. The motion, which was introduced by the opposition, received the necessary two-thirds majority. Yoon has been suspended with immediate effect. Prime Minister Han Duck-soo will take over the presidential duties on an interim basis. The South Korean Constitutional Court has 180 days to review Yoon’s removal. According to police, at least 200,000 people demonstrated against the president in the capital, Seoul, before the vote. faz.net, handelsblatt.com
President-elect Donald Trump nominates former ambassador Richard Grenell as special envoy: Trump wants to make the former US ambassador to Germany his administration’s special envoy for Venezuela and North Korea, among other things. Devin Nunes, the head of his online platform ‘Truth Social’, is to take over the chairmanship of the White House Intelligence Advisory Board; the board informs the president about the activities of the US intelligence services. tagesschau.de
Argentina’s President Javier Milei becomes Italian: he was granted Italian citizenship by Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni during her visit to Rome. The reason given for this was Milei’s Italian roots. His grandparents had emigrated from Italy to Argentina at the beginning of the 20th century. Several MPs accused the head of government of making the Argentinean head of state Italian at will, but at the same time refusing to grant citizenship to children of immigrants born in Italy. zdf.de
More News:
- EU: End of the war in Ukraine: EU fights for influence over Trump’s strategies. fr.de
- EU: AfD employee in the EU Parliament adorned herself with the symbols of the Federal Republic. spiegel.de
- EU: Money, gambling and power: The fall of former Belgian EU Commissioner Didier Reynders. wort.lu
- EU: Advertising for chat control: EU data protection authorities reprimand the Commission. heise.de
- France: Hundreds may have died in the overseas territory of Mayotte as a result of Cyclone Chido. tagesschau.de
- Greece: Numerous dead and missing in boat accidents in the Mediterranean. rnd.de
- Belgium: Last-ditch push for five-party Arizona alliance. stuttgarter-zeitung.de
- Great Britain: Joining the CPTPP trans-Pacific free trade agreement. n-tv.de
- Moldova: The country’s important port at Giurgiulești is becoming a bone of contention between East and West. faz.net
- Italy: Thousands protest against security law in Rome. deutschlandfunk.de
- Austria: Manhunt for former secret service agent and Marsalek confidant Martin Weiss. tagesschau.de
- Switzerland: government wants tougher penalties for use of Nazi symbols. spiegel.de
- Estonia: Tighter sanctions against Georgia. nau.ch
- Poland: Prime Minister Donald Tusk wants to classify both major private TV channels as strategically important companies due to fears over Orbán and Putin. noz.de
- Denmark: Ban on foreign flags; only the Dannebro is to fly. rnd.de
- Slovakia: Law bans doctors from protesting low pay. euronews.com
- Hungary: Greenpeace calls for fracking ban. de.euronews.com
- Monaco: Sea to be reclaimed to make way for the most expensive real estate in the world. wiwo.de
- Serbia: US sanctions NIS, a major oil and gas company, for its stake in Gazprom. euronews.com
- Niger: Gunmen kill 39 people in attacks on two villages. puls24.at
- Iran: President Massud Peseschkian vetoes headscarf law out of concern for unrest; National Security Council to revise law. spiegel.de
- Iran: Singer Parastu Ahmadi released from custody after performing without a headscarf. derstandard.at
- Iran: Iranian-American reporter Resa Walisadeh convicted of espionage; worked for US-funded radio station outside Iran.
- Australia: Big tech companies to pay for journalistic content. heise.de
- USA: Looming ban in the USA: Court denies TikTok delay. tagesschau.de
An alliance of trade unions, associations and the Protestant Church is calling for Germany’s automotive crisis not to be resolved at the expense of employees. In a joint appeal, they state that production sites should not be relocated to foreign countries where lower environmental and social standards apply and lower wages are paid. The organisations also complain about misguided business decisions and a delayed transformation to electric mobility. They say the industry has failed to bring affordable and resource-efficient electric vehicles to market. Car models need to be adapted.
60 per cent go to hospital emergency rooms unnecessarily, reports RND, citing a representative survey by the National Association of Statutory Health Insurance Funds. The survey states that 60 per cent of those with statutory health insurance who went to an emergency room within 12 months were only treated as outpatients. They could have been treated at an on-call practice. According to the survey, 28 per cent of them were aware that they could have been treated in a doctor’s office. However, they could not get an appointment in a timely manner. rnd.de
More from Business, Tech and Science:
- Chemicals group Evonik to undergo far-reaching restructuring; thousands of jobs affected. spiegel.de
- Vonovia presents offer for Deutsche Wohnen shareholders. handelsblatt.com
- Germany is getting a new military trade fair in 2027: ‘Defence & Security Equipment International Germany’ from Deutsche Messe AG. haz.de
- An increase in evictions due to rent debts. handelsblatt.com
- Retailers are dissatisfied with Christmas revenues. n-tv.de
- Nine out of ten domestic helpers in Germany work off the books. zdf.de
- Munich Regional Court I has extended the Wirecard trial by a year to the end of 2025. heise.de
- After general overhaul: Riedbahn line Frankfurt-Mannheim back in operation. hessenschau.de
- Deutsche Bahn finishes work on Berlin-Hamburg line on time. n-tv.de
- New timetable has come into force at Deutsche Bahn. faz.net
- VDE technical association: Germany to become world leader in energy-saving AI. heise.de
- Lawsuit settled: US broadcaster ABC to pay Trump $15 million – moderator George Stephanopoulos had falsely stated that Trump had been convicted of rape. faz.net
- Confusion at demonstration in Berlin: police think RBB soundman is ex-RAF terrorist Garweg. rnd.de
- No more puppet theatre: Caren Miosga does away with rituals – friendly probing instead of simulated arguments – Caren Miosga has radically renewed the most-watched political talk show in the country. dwdl.de
- Concert without a headscarf: Iranian singer and band members have been released. n-tv.de
- ‘The Bibi Files’: Netanyahu takes legal action against filmmaker over ‘very explosive’ documentary. n-tv.de
- Famous techno club: What makes the Berghain club a medium-sized business – celebrates its 20th anniversary – During this time, Berghain has earned millions. wiwo.de
- Friends with an agent from China: problem prince Andrew and a spy at Buckingham Palace. rnd.de
- No arrests: Jamie Foxx attacked with glass: film star needs stitches to the face. web.de
- At the 2026 World Cup qualifier draw: FIFA shows map of Ukraine without Crimea – sharp criticism. sportbuzzer.de
- ‘Dirty play’ not accepted: Effenberg denies Bayern’s fighting spirit. sport.de
- Disgrace at home: 1:2 defeat against Münster – crisis at Hertha: captain questions quality – is Fiel faltering? sport.de
- Basketballers from FC Bayern are on top after an 80:70 compulsory victory against surprise team MLP Academics Heidelberg. web.de
- Loss of memory after the first round: Mike Tyson can no longer remember his fight against Jake Paul. rnd.de
- ‘Wish me luck’: Boris Herrmann heads for a violent storm in the Pacific – and continues to catch up. ksta.de
- Next medal at the short course World Championships: Florian Wellbrock is at the edge of the pool and wins silver. n-tv.de
In the south of England: ‘Christmas ruined’ – vicar tells primary school class that Father Christmas is not real. spiegel.de