NEWS FROM BERLIN
Bundeswehr trained in Berlin U-Bahn
The guards battalion of the Federal Department of Defence used the U-Bahn station Jungfernheide for a training exercise between November 17 and 21, as announced by the Bundeswehr. The special battalion is responsible for protecting the government buildings in an emergency. Exercises took place on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday night from last week between 1am and 4am. No live ammunition was used during the training exercise. Further training took place at the so-called “Fighting City” training ground for police in the district of Ruhleben, where soldiers were trained in searching buildings, how to detain enemy forces and defend infrastructure. Source: iamexpat
Black-red Olympic project in Berlin falters
According to a representative survey commissioned by the “Tagesspiegel”, 67% of those surveyed reject a bid for 2036, 2040, or 2044. For the state government, which sees the Olympics as an opportunity for infrastructure, sports, and urban development, this is a clear dampener on the mood. The “NOlympia” alliance has already announced a referendum, which is scheduled to start on January 1, 2026. That is because a possible vote by Berliners would probably not take place until 2027 at the earliest. It would be too late to influence the decision of the German Olympic Sports Confederation (DOSB). Source: berliner Zeitung
Wage dispute at Berlin’s Brammibal’s Doughnuts
A wage dispute has arisen between vegan doughnut bakery Brammibal’s and the Food, Beverages, and Catering Union (NGG). The NGG accuses Brammibal’s of responding to wage demands with benefit cuts and the introduction of a fast food collective agreement. “This legally prevents further strikes, while most employees will continue to earn barely above minimum wage in the future,” the NGG said. Source: berliner Zeitung
NEWS FROM GERMANY
Over a million people in Germany are now homeless
On November 17, the Federal Working Group on Homelessness Assistance (BAG W) published new projections for homelessness in Germany in 2024. According to the working group, 1,029,000 people were affected over the course of last year. The number has exceeded the million mark for the first time. It also represents an increase of 11% compared to the previous year. The new figures also show how high the proportion of refugees affected by homelessness is: around 80% did not have German citizenship in 2024, while 20% were German citizens. Sahra Mirow (“die Linke”), observes that “homelessness is not an individual failure, but an expression of anti-social policies.” Source: taz
“Airline prices won’t drop a single cent as a result”
German cities are expected to become more competitive in international air travel. That, at least, is the goal of the German government with its planned reduction of the air traffic tax (starting July 2026), which was only increased in 2024. The reduction in the air traffic tax is now expected to relieve the industry of around 350 million euros annually. Mobility researcher Weert Canzler from the Berlin Social Science Center (WZB) criticizes the reduction of the air passenger duty as a “fatal signal.” “The federal government is sending the message they don’t care about climate protection.” Source: rbb
German Interior Minister: “My migration course is tough”
Germany’s Federal Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt (CSU) said in an interview with Deutsche Welle he had not overpromised when he announced stricter migration policies. “My course is very tough, and that’s exactly how it’s been perceived,” he affirmed, adding still that “from day one, we took the decisions needed to make sure that border controls are tightened.” Dobrindt considers yet the 60% drop in the number of initial asylum applications in Germany to be “clear evidence that illegal migration is declining significantly.” Meanwhile, critics call the term “illegal migration” dehumanizing and misleading. Source: dw
2026: German economy expected to grow
According to the European Commission’s autumn forecast, Germany’s gross domestic product (GDP) will grow by 1.2% in 2026. The German government also predicts 1.4% growth in 2027. “A substantial part of growth in the coming years will be a result of higher state financing, in particular from the special funds for infrastructural investments and increased investment in defence,” Federal Economics Minister Katherina Reiche (CDU) said in a government statement in October. While the German economy is on the mend, GDP growth rates forecast for the federal republic in 2026 are still below the average estimate for the political bloc, of 1.4% for next year. Source: iamexpat
Guests leave the hall during Merz’s speech
In protest against the CDU Chancellor Friedrich Merz’s “cityscape” remarks, around 30 people left the hall before he held a speech on integration. At the event, athletes who are committed to the topic of sport and social cohesion were honored with the Talisman Award. They wore stickers with the inscription “We are the cityscape” and only returned to their seats after the approximately 20-minute speech. “Germany is a country of immigration,” the Chancellor emphasized. At the same time, Merz also made it clear that immigration must be managed and controlled. Source: taz
How to tear down the firewall
“The Firewall Only Benefits the AfD”—under this title, political scientist Philipp Manow elaborated on the idea of a minority government in “Stern” that seeks shifting majorities—including with the help of the AfD. Jürgen Kaube followed up in the FAZ, and Claudius Seidl in the Süddeutsche Zeitung. All three believe the firewall must be removed. Within the CDU, one who advocates for opening to the AfD is the historian Andreas Rödder. He believes that easing the firewall might force the AfD to decide whether it wants to move into a democratic state or not. What is true is that the CDU has so far found no way to contain the AfD. Source: taz
Federal Constitutional Court sets limits on deportations
With the assistance of the non-profit organization Society for Civil Rights and the human rights organization Pro Asyl, a Guinean man appealed to Germany’s highest court in Karlsruhe, and the court there has now assessed the case differently than the Higher Administrative Court of Berlin-Brandenburg. The plaintiff’s asylum application in Germany had been rejected, and he was scheduled for deportation in 2019. Police arrived then at the accommodation in Berlin where he shared a room with another man. Without a warrant, the police then forced the door open. The Federal Constitutional Court in Karlsruhe ruled that this action violated the Guinean man’s fundamental right to the inviolability of his home. Source: dw
