Latest news with #InsideGermany
Local Germany
12-04-2025
- Business
- Local Germany
Inside Germany: New coalition, Spargelzeit and a sausage-driven recovery
Inside Germany is our weekly look at some of the news, talking points and gossip in Germany that you might've missed. It's published each Saturday and members can receive it directly to their inbox by going to their newsletter preferences or adding their email to the sign-up box in this article. New coalition sets out its vision for Germany Whatever you may think of Friedrich Merz, one thing can't be denied: Germany's incoming chancellor certainly lives up to the country's reputation for efficiency. Just four weeks after kicking off coalition talks, Merz's centre-right CDU and CSU alliance unveiled their new coalition pact with the centre-left SPD on Wednesday. At almost 150 pages, it's a hefty tome - and it's pretty mixed news for the international community. While many of the citizenship reforms brought in by the previous government will remain, the parties have pledged to scrap the "turbo" three-year path to citizenship . That means that all foreigners, regardless of integration, will have to wait at least five years to naturalise in the country. (Unless they're married to a German of course.) Luckily, dual nationality is set to remain in place, allaying the worst fears of many foreigners. For skilled workers, there are also a few interesting plans in the pact: the government wants to set up a new digital agency for skilled labour immigration, which will act as a single point of contact for workers from abroad. In future, the aim is to recognise foreign qualifications in as little as eight weeks. The agreement also contains plenty of policies designed to relieve struggling households - from tax relief for the middle classes to cheaper electricity and a hike in Elterngeld for new parents. Things are set to get tougher for jobseekers, however, as Bürgergeld is set to be replaced with a much stricter system. READ ALSO: How Germany's new coalition will affect your bank balance Advertisement Overall, the government has set itself two major tasks in this administration: boosting the ailing economy, and shoring up defence. The first will be done with hundreds of billions in infrastructure spending, as well as tax cuts for businesses and incentives to get people working more. The second with unlimited borrowing for defence and a new voluntary military service scheme. If you want to read about the government's plans in more depth, we've got you covered in our recent explainer. In it, we take you through the main policy changes that could affect the lives of foreigners in Germany. Wisdom of the week Between tariff threats and sluggish growth, there's been nothing but gloomy news about the economy lately. Could this bold new plan to double down on sausage sales be the answer the Bundesrepublik is waiting for? Where is this? Photo: picture alliance/dpa | Jens Kalaene What on first glance looks like cascading ocean waves is, in fact, some large plastic sheets spread over a harvest of Spargel . Germany's white asparagus season is set to begin soon, meaning restaurants across the country will be adorning their menus with Spargel -dishes, and asparagus stalls will be springing up at the side of the road. This picture shows workers loosening the sheets on an asparagus field in Beelitz. The small town on the outskirts of Berlin is nicknamed Spargelstadt ("asparagus city") for a reason: it's one of the most famous asparagus-growing regions in the country. Advertisement Living offline in the 21st century Germany's lacklustre digital transformation may have been hitting the headlines lately , but as it emerged this week, not everyone is worried about online services. According to the Federal Office of Statistics (Destatsis), around 2.8 million people in Germany live life entirely offline - and have never even used the internet. The figures, which were based on a survey of computer use across the EU, show that four percent of 16-to-74 year olds are "offliners". For this group, booking a train ticket online or chatting with friends via WhatsApp are simply not a part of their lives. A woman works on a laptop. Image by Pexels from Pixabay With Germany's poor track record on digitalisation, many of us can only dream of such an innocent existence. How can you complain about paper and the post when you've never known any other way? For the rest of us, the woes of bureaucracy drag on. On that note, we'd love to know your thoughts on the most painful parts of administrative life in Germany. Have your say - and a healthy vent - by filling in our latest reader survey . Easter holidays begin in several German states Last week saw the first handful of states break up for the Easter holidays, with schools closing in Bremen, Hesse, Lower Saxony, Thuringia and Saxony-Anhalt on the 7th and in Schleswig-Holstein on the 11th. On Monday, children in Baden-Württemberg, Bayern, Berlin, Brandenburg, Mecklenburg Western-Pomerania, North Rhine-Westphalia, Rhineland-Palatinate and Saarland are set to follow suit. Saxony will be the last of the states to head for its holidays, with schools in the eastern state closing from Good Friday. Advertisement If you're planning a fun Easter getaway, don't forget to read our rundown of the disruptions on Deutsche Bahn and potential jams on the Autobahn . We'll be off next week for our own long weekend, so in the meantime, happy Easter from all of us here at The Local. 'Inside Germany' will be back on the site - and in your inboxes - in two week's time.
Local Germany
05-04-2025
- Automotive
- Local Germany
Inside Germany: Hard-hitting tariffs, cherry blossoms and spring time festivities
Inside Germany is our weekly look at some of the news, talking points and gossip in Germany that you might've missed. It's published each Saturday and members can receive it directly to their inbox by going to their newsletter preferences or adding their email to the sign-up box in this article. As I write, news about backlash to Trump's latest tariffs – which were levied against most countries in the world including, strangely, an uninhabited island near Antarctica – is dominating German media headlines. The blanket tariff of 20 percent on all EU imports comes following a previously announced 25 percent tariffs on foreign cars and steel and aluminium. These are expected to deal a devastating blow to the auto industry, which represents more than 750,000 jobs in Germany, and has already been struggling with increased foreign competition as well as navigating the transition to producing more electric vehicles. Reactions from both German industry leaders and politicians have been mixed . Maybe too mixed, in fact, with some calling for immediate backlash and others cautioning against reactionary measures. The German auto association (VDA), for example, managed to do both at the same time, saying, 'The EU is now called upon to act together and with necessary force, while continuing to signal its willingness to negotiate." One thing that everyone does agree on: this looks to be the beginning of a new era for Germany - US trade. The WTO Director-General has said the move could trigger a trade war, while the German Economic Institute believes the move could cost Germany around €200 billion over the next four years. If Germany and the EU do end up going forward with retaliatory tariffs, the cost of US products would likely rise, which may also encourage more Germans to personally boycott goods from the US. Advertisement Tweet of the week Fixed it for you, @Bild. [image or embed] — Fridays for Future Germany ( @ ) 3 April 2025 at 09:25 Germany is in the midst of a drought, and following a warm and dry winter water levels in the Rhine River are at an historic low for this time of year. The Rhine River is an important in-land shipping lane for cargo ships in Germany. Reporting on the looming economic impacts of the drought, the BILD newspaper ran a headline this week that read, 'Low Rhine level threatens German economy'. Friday's for Future Germany didn't miss their chance for a tongue-in-cheek response, telling BILD they fixed the headline to read, 'Climate crisis threatens German economy'. Advertisement Experts say that human caused climate change has made extreme weather like droughts worse and more common around the world. Where is this? Photo: picture alliance/dpa | Federico Gambarini You can find cherry blossoms and magnolia flowers in full bloom in German cities around the country at this time of year. But this iconic flower-gazing location gets a top mention in travel blogs and guide books every year. This is Heerstraße in Bonn, which, along with Breitestraße, is arguably Germany's best location to be overwhelmed by pink and white blossoms in early April. Other breathtaking places to admire the fleeting petals include parts of the Berliner Mauerweg near Bornholmer Straße and Düsseldorf's House of Japanese Culture. READ ALSO: Eight unmissable events happening in Germany in April 2025 Spring has sprung This week has brought some pleasantly warm weather and blue skies to much of Germany, offering residents a chance to catch a bit of sun. While parts of eastern Germany will see temperatures drop again through the weekend , it won't be long before they climb again. Advertisement In the meantime, you wont want to miss your chance to indulge in some of the spring-time traditions that Germany has to offer. April is a good month for painting Easter eggs with the family, visiting your local folk festival or foraging for wild herbs in the nearby woods -- don't miss your chance to do so now, or else you'll need to wait a whole year before the opportunity comes again.
Local Germany
29-03-2025
- Business
- Local Germany
Inside Germany: Clock debates, controversial hedges and the sorrows of Deutsche Bahn
Inside Germany is our weekly look at some of the news, talking points and gossip in Germany that you might've missed. It's published each Saturday and members can receive it directly to their inbox by going to their newsletter preferences or adding their email to the sign-up box in this article. Will the next government tackle Germany's rail crisis? "The greatest crisis in 30 years..." That was how Deutsche Bahn CEO Richard Lutz described the state of Germany's railways on Thursday . Lutz was presenting the company's latest set of dire figures to reporters, from the €1.8 billion of losses in 2024 to anaemic sales and total debts of €32 billion. In news that's unlikely to surprise many rail passengers, Deutsche Bahn also hit a new low in punctuality last year, with just 62.5 percent of trains arriving on time. "We are far from meeting our customers' expectations," Lutz said, perfecting the art of understatement. The endless sorrows of the national rail service are well known to anyone who lives in Germany. More recently, though, the reputation of Deutsche Bahn has even started to spill across borders. In a recent article , The Local France editor Emma Pearson shared her tips for staying sane while travelling on DB's "direct" Berlin to Paris service. In it, she cautioned readers to be stoic and expect the unexpected. So, as Germany gears up to usher in a new government, will the next 'Grand Coalition' be able to finally get to grips with the railways? On first glance, the noises sound positive - but, much like a cross-country trip on DB Regio, it won't be an easy journey. According to the latest leaked plans, the CDU/CSU and SPD want to embark on a "fundamental rail reform", clearing out old management and pouring in massive investments. As part of a €500 billion infrastructure fund, tens of billions would be used to spruce up the creaking railways and modernise the busiest routes. According to Lutz, at least €150 billion will be needed to get the job done. And, given how long some of these projects can take, several more years of delays may be on the cards. Luckily, though, the government is also promising to keep the Deutschlandticket , so you can still travel to your destination on a budget - provided you're not too concerned with getting there on time. Advertisement Tweet of the week Some of us may have made the mistake of deciding to do a spot of cleaning DIY on a Sunday, forgetting about Germany's sacred Ruhetag (quiet day) rules. If your German neighbours have anything to do with it, it's not a mistake you'll make twice. When it's Sunday, and it's Germany, and you want to watch the world burn. — Nic Houghton (@40PercentGerman) March 23, 2025 Where is this? Photo: picture alliance/dpa | Jan Woitas This atmospheric scene shows the MS Cospuden moored on Leipzig's Cospudener See on Thursday evening during a cosy book reading. Parallel to the Leipzig Book Fair, which runs until Sunday, more than 3,000 events are taking place at 350 different locations throughout the city for the 'Leipzig reads' reading festival - including atop the city's lakes. Advertisement Clocks go forward... again It's that time of year again. On March 30th, the clocks go forward and politicians go back to a years-long debate about when (if ever) the practice will be scrapped for good. The European Union has been eyeing an end to Daylight Saving Time since 2018 , when a public consultation revealed that millions were in favour. For the past seven years, however, the bloc has been stuck in limbo amid disagreements on how to go about it. This year Poland is in charge of the rotating EU presidency and wants to put the question of the clocks back on the agenda. Proponents of the change are pushing for a target date to end the changing of the clocks in order to speed up the process. If they're successful, it's possible the bloc could be gearing up to finally call time on the century-old practice. For now, though, we're still set to wake up one hour later on Sunday morning (or lose one hour of sleep, depending on how you think about it) - and gain an hour of sunlight in the evening. Advertisement When is a hedge too high? If you've lived in Germany for a while, you've probably realised that there are some very strict rules governing neighbourly behaviour. From grilling on your balcony to how often your guinea pigs have sex, every question imaginable can end up in the German courts . Most recently, the Constitutional Court in Karlsruhe was asked to rule on a highly philosophical question: when is a hedge a hedge, and how high can it be? The question was prompted by a recent dispute in Frankfurt between two neighbours. The plaintiff had demanded that his neighbour cut back her six-metre bamboo hedge, while the neighbour refused to do so. After much back and forth, the verdict was clear: there is no legal height limit for a hedge in Germany. That said, you do have to make sure it's far enough from your neighbour's property - and don't forget to trim it at the specified times of year .
Local Germany
01-03-2025
- Politics
- Local Germany
Inside Germany: Can we change the conversation on immigration?
Inside Germany is our weekly look at some of the news, talking points and gossip in Germany that you might've missed. It's published each Saturday and members can receive it directly to their inbox by going to their newsletter preferences or adding their email to the sign-up box in this article. Can Germany change the conversation on immigration? What a week it's been. After just over two months of political limbo, an intense campaign and a war of words, Germans voted in a nationwide election on Sunday. The conservative alliance (CDU/CSU) won 28.5 percent of the vote, followed by the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) which snagged its best ever showing with just over 20 percent. The SPD came third with just over 16 percent of the vote, followed by the Greens (11.6 percent) and Die Linke (Left Party) with 8.7 percent. There were no huge surprises (except perhaps Die Linke' s last minute surge); we expected the conservatives to win, and for the AfD to make gains. But with an election campaign marked by anti-immigration rhetoric, it's not hard to see why many people - especially those with a foreign background - in Germany feel worried about these results. Although the AfD is excluded from a future coalition government due to the 'firewall' by mainstream parties, the party has still spread racist and xenophobic hate speech and is helping to shape the political agenda. Let's not forget the AfD in Karlsruhe campaigned with fake flyers designed to look like 'deportation tickets' aimed at sending illegal migrants home. The party also embraced the term 'remigration' - understood to refer to the mass "return" or deportation of certain migrants - in its election programme. In a survey conducted by our team this week, some foreign residents in Germany told us their concerns. " I don't feel safe and frankly have no plans to travel anywhere near the East German states," said David, after the AfD won the majority of votes in nearly every constituency in the former East German states. Another reader, Dmitry in Düsseldorf, said: 'At least one fifth of the voters hate me and want me gone." Tape calling for a ban of Germany's far-right AfD is attached to a fence closing off a construction site in front of the Reichstag. Photo: John Macdougall / AFP But it's not just about the AfD. The CDU/CSU alliance has moved further to the right and headlined its campaign on an immigration crackdown. This wasn't only in reaction to horrific attacks perpetrated by individuals with a migrant background. The CDU/CSU has long been pushing to reverse the previous government's citizenship reform, with soon-to-be chancellor Friedrich Merz recently saying that reduced residency requirements and dual citizenship for all "creates too many problems in Germany". What does any of this achieve? German politicians should be talking about immigration differently. The country is in desperate need of hundreds of thousands of skilled workers from abroad each year to fill jobs and contribute to social security. This is not to say that there should not be difficult conversations about the rules around how people from abroad can come to Germany. There are decisions to make and resources to think about on how best to support refugees, for example. But there are better ways to do it. Personally, I can't think of a time when embracing diversity has not enriched my life. Moving to Berlin, a city brimming with people from different backgrounds and countries, from a smaller city in Scotland has been truly amazing. I learn all the time about different cultures and ways of doing things. Looking at the bigger picture, we are in turbulent times. Political leaders and people across the world, including in Germany, are worried about the future of democracy and the rise of authoritarian regimes. With so much at stake - both at home and abroad - it makes sense that Merz and the SPD are trying to pull a new German coalition government together at lightning speed. I just wish that German leaders would recognise the contribution of immigrants to the country instead of playing into far-right narratives. As research has showed time and time and again, anti-migrant rhetoric like this only benefits the far right. Hamburg votes The voting spell isn't quite over, at least for one city! Hamburg, a Social Democrats' stronghold, goes to the polls on Sunday, March 2nd, to vote for a new state parliament. According to polls, the Social Democrats are still clearly ahead with around 33 percent of the vote, followed by the CDU with 18 percent and the Greens with 17 percent. In 2020, the SPD won the parliamentary elections with 39.2 percent of the vote, followed by the Greens with 24.2 percent, while the CDU achieved its worst result in the Hanseatic city with 11.2 percent. People walk no a rainy day in Hamburg. Photo: picture alliance/dpa | Marcus Brandt Thank you and auf Wiedersehen! I'm writing this letter to you on my last day at The Local as I step down as Editor of the Germany site. I joined the company six and a half years ago when things looked quite a bit different. Angela Merkel was still chancellor and the full force of events like Brexit, a global pandemic and Russia's war on Ukraine was yet to hit us. Immigration was, of course, still a big talking point. Dual citizenship for all had not yet come into force. One of the high points of my time at The Local has been covering the citizenship reform along with my fantastic colleagues. I have been so lucky to be able to bring you articles over the years about life in Germany and I am truly thankful for every opportunity. For those of you who I've spoken to directly, I have appreciated your feedback and I have loved listening to your stories. It is time for me to take a pause and reset. But I very much hope we meet again.
Local Germany
15-02-2025
- Politics
- Local Germany
Inside Germany: Endless strikes, election debates and shock after Munich car attack
Inside Germany is our weekly look at some of the news, talking points and gossip in Germany that you might've missed. It's published each Saturday and members can receive it directly to their inbox by going to their newsletter preferences or adding their email to the sign-up box in this article. What happens next after brutal attack in Munich? It's been a grim week in Germany. Just days before Germans go to the polls on February 23rd, another high-profile attack involving a migrant suspect has shaken the nation. On Thursday morning, a car was driven into a crowd of people taking part in a strike demonstration in the centre of Munich. More than 30 people have been injured, some seriously. On Friday it emerged that a two-year-old girl was in a critical condition. The driver, a 24-year-old man from Afghanistan, was arrested at the scene. However, conflicting information on the suspect's residence status and background has made it challenging to report accurately on the incident, and underlines the tense situation in Germany regarding migration. The suspect had entered Germany as an asylum seeker in 2016. His asylum request was rejected by German authorities but he found work and was able to remain legally in the country, according to officials. The reasons behind the attack were still being probed at the time of writing. But authorities on Friday said the suspect may have had Islamist extremist motives. Members of the emergency services work at the scene where a car drove into a crowd in the southern German city of Munich on February 13rd, 2025 leaving several people injured. Photo: Michaela Stache / AFP Initial assessments of evidence seized from electronic devices belonging to the suspect showed a "certain Islamist orientation", police spokesman Guido Limmer told reporters. After the incident, the suspect uttered the words "Allahu Akbar" (God is greatest) to police officers and also prayed after his arrest, prosecutors said. Bavaria's interior minister Joachim Herrmann, of the conservative Christian Social Union (CSU), was keen to point out on Friday that earlier statements he'd made over the suspect's history of shoplifting and other petty crimes were false. Hermann said that up until the attack on Thursday "there was no reason to doubt that he (the suspect) had integrated himself into our lives in a reasonably orderly fashion". The misinformation was likely due to tight deadlines on finding the details, police said. Even though details remain patchy on the exact background and motive in this tragic incident, it's left the country feeling uneasy. A bitter debate over immigration and public safety has already been raging in Germany in recent weeks following attacks, such as the devastating stabbing in a park in Aschaffenburg in January. Police arrested a 28-year-old rejected asylum seeker from Afghanistan in connection with this attack. Meanwhile, following the Munich car ramming, many politicians have vowed to take action such as with more deportations to Afghanistan. It comes after a motion from the conservatives calling to close borders and end illegal immigration passed in the Bundestag at the end of last month - controversially with the support of the far-right AfD. An op-ed for Bavarian broadcaster BR24 published Friday said a stronger migration policy was needed. Politics expert Achim Wendler wrote: "There are still unanswered questions about this offence. What is certain, however, is that it was another rejected asylum seeker who allegedly committed a terrible crime. This shows that acts of violence committed by migrants are a political problem that need to be solved politically." There's no doubt that immigration issues will continue to be at the top of the agenda for politicians - and many voters in Germany - as we get into the final stretch of the election campaign. Public sector strikes hit life in Germany Some of our most-read stories this week have been on the strikes affecting public services across German regions. many commuters stranded in Berlin. And on Wednesday, people travelling on local transport in Frankfurt faced similar problems due to a day of strike action. A man stands in the U-Bahn platform at Frankfurt Hauptbahnhof, which is not served because of the warning strike. Photo: picture alliance/dpa | Andreas Arnold Meanwhile, various other public services, such as garbage collection, hospital care and daycare centres for children have been affected up and down the country, including Hamburg. Trade union Verdi has said it may escalate the strikes and call for coordinated nationwide action if employers do not step up and submit a reasonable offer. The union wants an eight percent pay rise for the approximately 2.5 million employees in the public sector, as well as additional vacation days. Interior Minister Nancy Faeser (SPD) has said however that the unions' demands are "very high" and that budgets "remain tight". Following a mostly uneventful debate on Sunday featuring the CDU's Friedrich Merz and the SPD's Olaf Scholz, there's another one on the way. But this time it's Germany's first four-way televised election clash - nicknamed 'Das Quadrell'. Along with Merz and Scholz, Green chancellor candidate Robert Habeck and Alternative for Germany's (AfD) hopeful Alice Weidel will join in the action. Immigration will no doubt be the top theme of this debate after the events of this week. But they will hopefully also touch on other voters' issues such as inflation, jobs, housing and social issues. It is estimated that around 13.6 million German voters (23 percent) have still not made up their minds one week before the election. Can these candidates persuade them? The debate will be shown on Sunday on RTL at 8.15pm.
