Bild: Big table: How broke is your city! / Große Tabelle: So pleite ist Ihre Stadt!
FAZ: Merz defends pension plans – Steinmeier urges a solution / Merz verteidigt Rentenpläne – Steinmeier mahnt Lösung an
Funke: SPD and Greens demand that Kai Wegner say yes to Expo 2035 / SPD und Grüne verlangen von Kai Wegner ein Ja zur Expo 2035
Handelsblatt: Billions for the transformation / Milliarden für den Umbau
RND: ESA chief Aschbacher wants 22 billion euros to remain competitive / Esa-Chef Aschbacher will 22 Milliarden Euro, um wettbewerbsfähig zu bleiben
SZ: Employers oppose the chancellor / Arbeitgeber stellen sich gegen den Kanzler
Tagesspiegel: Germans should work longer: Reiche pushes further in pension dispute / Deutsche sollen länger arbeiten: Reiche legt im Rentenstreit nach
taz: Trust no war criminal / Traue keinem Kriegsverbrecher
Welt: Americans and Russians resume talks on Ukraine / Amerikaner und Russen sprechen wieder über Ukraine
Europäische Unterstützerstaaten der Ukraine beraten US-Friedensplan: European supporter states of Ukraine discuss the US peace plan. Participants included US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky. Zelensky signaled readiness to move the plan forward but pointed to unresolved sensitive issues. President Emmanuel Macron said EU states want to secure ongoing financial support for Ukraine, including frozen Russian assets. After the meeting, Macron, UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer and Chancellor Friedrich Merz said they support President Donald Trump’s efforts to end the war but insist that any solution must fully include Ukraine. zeit.de
- Macron stressed that Moscow continues to show no signals of ending the war or agreeing to a ceasefire, citing accounts from participants who held direct talks with Russian officials including President Vladimir Putin.
- Zelensky and Chancellor Friedrich Merz discussed the situation in the war and next steps for supporting states. Zelensky thanked Merz and US President Donald Trump for their support.
- Washington and Kyiv have agreed on the key issues of the US peace plan, according to Ukrainian sources. Zelensky plans to meet Trump on Thursday. Trump will leave Washington to spend Thanksgiving in Mar-a-Lago.
- Possible territorial concessions remain the main sticking point preventing a final agreement, despite progress on other issues. Particularly sensitive topics will be addressed directly to Trump.
- Envoy Steve Witkoff has reportedly given Moscow advice to help persuade Trump of the Ukraine plan.
- Trump is sending his envoy Steve Witkoff to Moscow for further talks, while Pentagon official Daniel Driscoll will speak with Ukraine. Meanwhile, US and Russian delegations continue negotiations in Abu Dhabi on the revised 28-point plan.
- Russia’s foreign minister Sergei Lavrov accuses Germany and other European states of squandering their chance to play a role in resolving the conflict.
RTL/ntv trend barometer by Forsa: CDU/CSU 25 percent, AfD 26 percent, SPD 14 percent, Greens 12 percent, Left Party 11 percent, BSW 3 percent, FDP 3 percent, Others 6 percent. n-tv.de
Finanzminister Lars Klingbeil signals long-term structural reforms to social spending. Only then can Germany remain competitive, he said at the start of the budget debate. He described the 2025 and 2026 budgets as a „warm-up,“ with the real challenge coming in later years. Klingbeil defended the planned new debt of nearly 98 billion euros and the debt-financed special fund. It is right, he said, to finally repair roads and invest in rail, digitalization, and climate protection. n-tv.de, zdfheute.de
- The opposition accuses the government of not prioritising rising new debt for future and infrastructure projects. The funds are not being invested where they are most needed economically and socially, said Green deputy parliamentary leader Andreas Audretsch.
- Economy Minister Katherina Reiche rejected accusations of misguided economic policy. The black-red coalition is investing in startups, innovative technologies and skilled trades. She said Germany must become Europe’s growth engine again through deep reforms. The opposition warned of deindustrialisation, crumbling infrastructure and social burdens such as a higher retirement age.
- The EU Commission has approved Germany’s budget for this year despite new debt above the deficit limit. The additional fiscal space is entirely due to higher defence spending and is covered by the national exemption clause; no deficit procedure will be opened. stern.de
Chancellor Friedrich Merz calls for patience on reforms. Structural changes take time because existing systems have solidified over decades, he said at the Employers’ Day. He added that Germany is not a speedboat but a large tanker that cannot be turned around in a few days. He also called for stronger employee participation in prosperity gains, especially through more attractive occupational pension models. handelsblatt.com, n-tv.de
- Economy Minister Reiche calls for a fundamental renewal of Germany’s economic base and announces a „fitness programme“ with structural reforms. She warns that the seriousness of the situation is not yet fully recognised in politics and society.
- Labour Minister Bärbel Bas defends the government’s pension policy. After laughter over her remark that contributors would not be burdened by the pension package, she went on the offensive, accusing the CDU/CSU of narrowing the debate to cuts and warning of growing insecurity and the rise of extremist parties. tagesspiegel.de
- Employers’ president Rainer Dulger warns of an expanding welfare state that grows faster than the economy. He calls for more political willingness to reform and warns against postponing problems in commissions indefinitely.
Chancellor Merz insists on the pension compromise with the SPD and rejects demands from young CDU/CSU lawmakers to reopen the pension package. He recalled that the SPD originally wanted to stabilise the pension level until 2039 but both sides agreed on 2031. Merz said many people – especially in eastern Germany – rely solely on the statutory pension and need reliability. handelsblatt.com, spiegel.de
- SPD leader Lars Klingbeil rejects concessions to young CDU/CSU members and stresses that the pension package must be passed as presented. He says further reforms will be discussed in the pension commission starting later this year.
- North Rhine-Westphalia’s premier Hendrik Wüst pledges support to Merz and calls for less noise in the pension debate. He insists the package must include a solution for younger generations.
- Employers’ president Dulger calls for stopping the controversial pension package and supports young CDU/CSU lawmakers who highlight its high costs. He argues for a pause in decision-making.
- All political camps agree: a large majority sides with the SPD in the pension dispute. n-tv.de
Minimum wages in elderly and nursing care will rise in two stages until 2027. By July 2027, helpers will earn at least 16.95 euros, qualified helpers 18.26 euros and skilled workers 21.58 euros per hour. The commission also recommends nine additional days of annual leave. Around 1.3 million employees will benefit. tagesschau.de
Chancellor Merz says he missed German bread on his Africa trip. After the EU-Africa summit in Luanda he said he searched in vain at the breakfast buffet for a „proper piece of bread.“ He joked in Hamburg that travelling abroad reveals how good German bread is. The comments sparked mixed reactions online. stern.de, tagesspiegel.de, ndr.de
Further news:
- A special session of the Foreign Affairs Committee on Ukraine and the 28-point plan will be held on Wednesday.
- The Bundeswehr sticks to plans for its digitalisation project until 2027; Army Inspector Christian Freuding calls it „decisive for war.“
- The Citizens’ Assembly that drafts recommendations for the government is about to be dissolved.
- A special stamp will honour Holocaust survivor Margot Friedländer, who died in May.
- IG Metall chief Christiane Benner urges companies to commit to Germany as a business location.
- ESA chief Josef Aschbacher wants 22 billion euros to stay competitive.
- Green transport politician Tarek Al-Wazir calls for cross-party agreement on rail policy, inspired by Austria.
- The SPD calls for an „active pension“ for civil servants similar to the „active retirement“ model.
The BKA searches homes after hundreds of bomb threats against public institutions. Four suspects, including two teenagers, are accused of forming a criminal organization. Homes in NRW, Lower Saxony, Hesse, and Saxony-Anhalt were searched. The group is said to have organized mass emails with fake bomb threats to schools, train stations, shopping centres, and other facilities, often with Islamist references, leading to major police operations. tagesschau.de
Other news:
- Saxony reports that far-right crimes in 2024 have more than doubled.
- Brandenburg: BSW member Reinhard Simon returns to the party after briefly leaving.
- Bavaria: Premier Markus Söder defends ending the child start-up subsidy, saying funds will go to childcare.
- Hamburg: Ten „Last Generation“ activists must pay 400,000 euros in damages for the 2023 airport blockade, plus 700,000 euros in legal costs.
- Berlin: „From the river to the sea“ chants and violence; police arrest several demonstrators in Kreuzberg.
- NRW: 300 live firearms found in a weapons cache in Remscheid.
- Saarland: A bailiff was killed during an eviction; a suspect has been arrested.
- Bavaria: Söder attacks the AfD as „Moscow’s stooges.“
- Saxony: Trial begins in the Antifa East case.
The European Parliament clears the way for a European defence union. The 1.5-billion-euro EDIP programme aims to expand EU defence production and supply chains and promote joint projects such as drone defence. Cooperation with Ukraine is also included. Imports from non-EU countries will be capped at 35 percent. Supporters see this as a first step toward greater defence autonomy.
Other news:
- The European Parliament sees Hungary as a threat to EU values.
- The European People’s Party fails to push through an emergency procedure to protect EU farmers in the Mercosur agreement.
- The EU plans a mandatory chip ID for dogs and cats to combat illegal trafficking.
- Budget cuts have “disastrous consequences” for the fight against HIV.
- The European Court of Justice rules that Poland must recognise same-sex marriages performed in Germany.
The EU launches a deficit procedure against Finland for exceeding the permitted new debt limit in 2023. The deficit was above three percent of GDP. The procedure aims to push Finland toward a sounder fiscal policy.
France’s President Emmanuel Macron announces the return of voluntary military service, citing tensions with Russia and the need to strengthen ties between the army and society. He emphasised that young French people will not be deployed to the Ukraine war. Further details will follow on Thursday. faz.net, dw.com
Die deutsche Wirtschaft continues to stagnate. GDP remained unchanged in the third quarter compared with the previous one. Economic output had already shrunk in spring. Economists expect a slight recovery in the final quarter. This means Germany may narrowly avoid a third year without growth before the downturn is likely to end in 2026. handelsblatt.com, lz.de
Other news:
- VW says it is now able to fully develop and build cars in China.
- Companies are becoming increasingly cautious about hiring.
- The construction industry reports an increase in orders.
- Imports of fireworks and rockets have risen to a record level.
- Deutsche Bahn is saving millions by using 3D-printed replacement parts.
Germans and their Ordnung — it’s a love story. Even when the economy stalls, trains are late, and politicians argue about pensions, there is always one thing that restores national confidence: a properly sorted recycling bin. Paper in paper, plastic in plastic, glass by color, and God help the neighbor who mixes them up. When in doubt, follow the rule of thumb: if you’re unsure where it goes, your German neighbor will appear (mysteriously, from nowhere) to tell you.