Daily Briefing 17.09.2025, 16:41 (CEST)

Merz says Germany's future is on the line, heralds major reforms

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz on Wednesday asked citizens to brace themselves for far-reaching reforms in the coming months, as the government is gearing up to tackle the mountain of cha...

German auditors sound alarm over level of debt in 2026 draft budget

The German state risks descending into a vicious circle of debt, according to a report by the country's federal auditing authority.

Nuclear dispute: German top diplomat calls on Iran 'to build trust'

German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul on Wednesday called on Iran to grant UN-backed inspectors direct access to its nuclear facilities, as a dispute over whether the country is working o...

Merkel calls for unity and reforms from EU

Former German chancellor Angela Merkel has called on the European Union to unite in the face of wars and crises, as well as the protectionist policies of US President Donald Trump, as she a...

Germany's far-right AfD tops nationwide YouGov poll for first time

Germany's Alternative for Germany (AfD) has overtaken the conservative CDU/CSU bloc in a YouGov opinion poll released on Wednesday, marking the first time the far-right, anti-immigrant part...

German banks see rise in loans to finance consumer spending

German banks have registered rise in borrowing for consumer spending, with loans worth a total of €30 billion ($35.5 billion) granted in the first half of 2025, an industry association said...

'Naive' Dortmund hope to learn from dropped points in Juve draw

Borussa Dortmund hope to learn from being "naive" when they should have been "more mature" in the closing stages of their Champions League thriller at Juventus where they squandered a two-g...

Most Germans believe better protection against sabotage needed

An overwhelming majority of German citizens believes that the state needs to do more to protect critical infrastructure against potential sabotage, according to a survey commissioned by dpa...

Trapp to get Frankfurt farewell ahead of Champions League opener

Eintracht Frankfurt will bid farewell to their former long-time goalkeeper Kevin Trapp ahead of their Champions League opener on Thursday against Galatasaray.

Merz stresses unity in Nawrocki meeting overshadowed by WWII claims

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz assured Poland's newly-minted President Karol Nawrocki of his country's full solidarity in light of the threat emanating from Russia, as the right-wing populist made his inaugural visit to Berlin on Tuesday.