Daily Briefing 06.05.2026, 16:11 (CEST)

Merz urges German coalition to push ahead after turbulent first year

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz has called on his government to remain united and continue working to overcome mounting challenges, as the conservative-led coalition marked a turbulent fir...

Far-right Czech parties want Sudeten German event cancelled

Plans for a meeting in the Czech Republic of Sudeten Germans who were expelled from what was then Czechoslovakia after Nazi Germany's defeat in World War II are facing pushback from the Cze...

German president: European NATO allies 'must be able to rely' on US

German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier on Wednesday called on the United States to remain a reliable force within NATO, as trans-Atlantic tensions have escalated again over the Trump admi...

German machinery orders up in Q1 on strong March

New orders for Germany's mechanical engineering sector rose by 4% in real terms in the first quarter thanks to strong growth in March, according to figures released by the VDMA industry gro...

Ex-captain Lahm doesn't see Germany as favourites for World Cup title

Former Germany captain Philipp Lahm doesn't see the national team among the favourites to win this year's World Cup in the United States, Canada and Mexico.

Berlin extends navy mission off Lebanon as UN mandate runs out

The German government on Wednesday backed a final extension of a navy mission off the Lebanese coast that is part of UN peacekeeping efforts which are set to expire at the end of the year.

German police raid suspected far-right extremists in multiple cities

Police in the German state of North Rhine-Westphalia launched raids in eight cities targeting suspected far-right extremists early on Wednesday, security sources said.

Most Germans expect coalition to collapse before 2029, poll shows

Most Germans expect the country's governing coalition to collapse before the next scheduled election in 2029, according to a YouGov poll, underscoring mounting pressure on Chancellor Friedr...

Merz: Germany to be 'fundamentally different' by 2035

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said on Tuesday he believed Europe's largest economy was capable of reform and could undergo a fundamental transformation by 2035.

AI offers Germany 'opportunity for a comeback,' digital minister says

Germany should aim for greater independence from foreign digital platforms and companies, Digital Minister Karsten Wildberger said at a trade fair in Hamburg.