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Why Germany can’t square a €60 billion circle

As Germany’s divided coalition government grapples with how to plug a €60 billion hole in the federal budget following a bombshell ruling by the country’s top court, more financial trouble may be looming.

A ruling by the constitutional court last week is already forcing German leaders to reevaluat…[Read more]

Germany and Italy agree on joint ‘action plan’ including energy, technology, climate protection

BERLIN (AP) — Germany and Italy agreed Wednesday to work closer together in the fields of energy, technology, climate protection, security and cultural cooperation among other issues.

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and Italian Premier Giorgia Melon…[Read more]

Germany freezes new spending as budget crisis deepens

Germany’s finance ministry has imposed a spending freeze on all federal ministries, deepening a budget crisis that has rocked the ruling coalition since a bombshell ruling by the country’s top court last week.

The finance ministry decision, which halts most new spending authorizations, f…[Read more]

German police crack down on pro-Palestine rallies, raising alarm

Berlin, Germany – Early-afternoon on Saturday in central Berlin, officers led an elderly German woman away to a police van so her sign could be checked.

She was preparing to attend a march calling for a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip.

Her banner, which said she was ashamed to be G…[Read more]

Wind of change: Germany gets serious about plans to make military ‘fit for war’

The return of full-scale armed conflict to Europe has Germany dramatically reframing its security policy.

With Russia and Ukraine still locked in combat after nearly two years and a major Israeli-Palestinian conflict underway, the European Union and NATO are feeling…[Read more]

Far-right German politician arrested after ‘Sieg Heil’ salutes heard

A legislator with the far-right Alternative für Deutschland (AfD) party was arrested on Monday on charges including displaying forbidden totalitarian symbols, with neighbours of his fraternity complaining of often hearing the Nazi “Sieg Heil” victory salute.

Newly elected…[Read more]

Why Germany’s economic miracle is facing a new reality

Germany has come a long way in 100 years. Back in November 1923, people were trundling wheelbarrows stacked high with cash through its streets to buy a loaf of bread. Now its reputation is that of an economic powerhouse.

That episode of hyperinflation left deep scars on the nation’s psy…[Read more]

Canadian PM Justin Trudeau tells Israel to stop ‘killing of babies’

Canadian rime Minister Justin Trudeau has called on Israel to “exercise maximum restraint,” saying the killing “of women, of children, of babies” in Israel’s war on Gaza must stop.

The Israeli military stormed the Al-Shifa hospital, the largest in Gaza, on Wednesday in what it…[Read more]

How to mobilize cultural relations for climate action?

Climate Culture(s) Creative Lab
The EUNIC Climate Culture(s) Creative Lab occurred in Berlin from 22 to 28 June 2023. As part of the Goethe-Institut’s presidency of EUNIC in 2022-2023, the Lab brought new connections and collaboration among EUNIC members on environmental, climate, and c…[Read more]

German government tightens belt in new budget

After three years of big spending to cope with the COVID and Ukraine crises, Germany is imposing wide-ranging cuts in its new budget to reduce debt.

The German government presented its 2024 budget to the parliament on Tuesday, with Finance Minister Christian Lindner, of the neoliberal Free Democratic…[Read more]

Germany’s top court annuls move to repurpose COVID funding

Germany’s highest court has ruled that the government’s 2021 reallocation of unused coronavirus pandemic credit is unconstitutional. The government’s climate action budget is now €60 billion short.

What was the government planning?
In December 2021, the German coalition government a…[Read more]

German publisher halts sale of top author’s books after leak reveals he received €600,000 from Putin ally

A German publisher has announced a stop to the sale of books authored by a leading journalist and Russia expert after an investigation showed he had received at least €600,000 (£522,000) in undisclosed offshore payments from companies linked…[Read more]

Germany: Arrest warrant issued for far-right politician

Daniel Halemba, who recently won a seat in Bavaria’s state parliament, is being sought for an undisclosed reason. However, the 22-year-old was part of a student fraternity being investigated for displaying Nazi symbols.

An arrest warrant has been issued for the newly-elected far-right…[Read more]

UN General Assembly calls for humanitarian truce in Gaza

The United Nations General Assembly has voted in favor of a resolution calling for an immediate humanitarian truce in Gaza. The nonbinding resolution was backed by 120 countries, while 45 abstained and 14 voted against it.

Germany risks falling back into recession as car industry sputters

Industrial production in Europe’s biggest economy fell 1.5% in June compared with May, driven by a 3.5% drop in Germany’s vast automotive sector.

The decline in German industrial output, much steeper than forecast by economists, raises the risk that the manufacturing hea…[Read more]

Germany spends big to win $11 billion TSMC chip plant

Taiwanese chipmaker TSMC on Tuesday committed 3.5 billion euros ($3.8 billion) to a factory in Germany, its first in Europe, taking advantage of huge state support for the $11 billion plant as the continent seeks to bring supply chains closer to home.

The plant, which will be TSMC’s third o…[Read more]

Germany’s Day of Libraries tries to keep book interest alive

Though 21st century youngsters may be more likely to have cell phones in their hands instead of books, or turn to a YouTube influencer for inspiration rather than to Shakespeare, Germany is keen to preserve local reading culture.

While most of the gadgets teenagers use nowadays have…[Read more]

Moment bridge brought down in controlled explosion in Germany

A motorway bridge was blown up in a controlled explosion near the town of Beselich in Germany.

The 135m (443ft) long Kerkerbachtal bridge collapsed within seconds after explosives placed on its pillars were detonated.

The bridge, built in 1960, was part of the old route now being…[Read more]

Evacuation of German nationals from Israel underway

Special flights evacuating German nationals from Israel are underway. Germany has been working with Lufthansa to organize repatriation flights for its citizens. The first evacuation flight landed at Frankfurt Airport on Thursday.