News from Berlin
United against Big Tech
The major movement conference “Cables of Resistance” against big tech took place over the weekend in Berlin. With nearly 100 events—some running up to seven sessions simultaneously—individuals, activist groups, and various strands of the movement were brought together. This was also linked by a common thread of internationalist and anti-colonial perspectives. The accompanying “Manifesto 1.0” (which is to be collaboratively updated) highlights the “deeply entrenched colonial infrastructure power” of leading Big Tech companies like Google, Amazon, Facebook, Apple, and Microsoft (GAFAM), which “forces people in the Global South into ever more intensive exploitation.” Source: nd
News from Germany
Distrust is growing
Bremen has a reputation as a tolerant Hanseatic city. But since a spy scandal involving an informant, anything left-leaning in the city is quickly vilified. This is because the Bremen Office for the Protection of the Constitution (Verfassungsschutz) has declared the group Interventionist Left (Interventionistische Linke, IL) a “threat to democracy”. However, all data and studies indicate that the far greater danger in Bremen and nationwide comes from right-wing extremism. Bremen’s Senator for the Interior, Eva Högl (SPD), presented the statistics on politically motivated crime: half of all offenses in 2025 were attributed to the “right wing,” while the “left wing” accounted for 18%. Source: taz
A crushing defeat for the AfD
In Schwerin, the CDU and SPD candidates received the most votes in the first round of the mayoral election. The AfD came in third and thus did not qualify for the runoff. The far-right party had hoped for a victory in the state capital of Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania. Who will govern Schwerin in the future will be decided in a runoff election in two weeks, as neither Sebastian Ehlers (CDU) nor Mandy Pfeifer (SPD) achieved an absolute majority. Ehlers received 34.2% of the vote on Sunday, while Pfeifer garnered 27.9%. Source: taz
Germans see little progress in removing red tape
A survey published on April 11 said most Germans believe unnecessary bureaucracy has remained the same since the current government took office. The poll, conducted by YouGov, found that 66% of citizens said administrative burdens had remained the same since the current government took office, while 22% reported an increase. Only 4% believed bureaucracy had decreased, with 8% unsure in the poll conducted for the European Center for Digital Competitiveness at the ESCP Business School in Berlin. Respondents said the greatest need for digital improvement is in healthcare and local administrative offices, followed by tax services and construction approvals. Source: dw
Buchenwald: remembering Nazi atrocities
Buchenwald was one of the largest concentration camps in Germany, liberated eighty‑one years ago. The commemoration this year included moving words—and protests. Two surviving prisoners managed to attend it. At the service, actor and author Hape Kerkeling spoke about his grandfather, Hermann Kerkeling, a communist who survived his time at the camp. This year’s ceremony in Buchenwald was nevertheless overshadowed in several ways. For instance, the chairs of two associations representing relatives of former political prisoners of the camp had opposed the appearance of Wolfram Weimer (independent), the Minister of State for Culture. The memorial director Jens-Christian Wagner also observed in his speech that right‑wing extremists are attacking the culture of remembrance. Source: dw
Bundeswehr says military-aged men are allowed to travel freely
For days, German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius (SPD) has had to explain himself. A provision in the new Military Service Act, which took effect on January 1, appeared to require men between the ages of 17 and 45 to notify the German military before taking trips abroad longer than three months. “Everyone is allowed to travel, whether they are 17, 45, or anywhere in between, and permission is not currently required,” he told the dpa. The politician added that an administrative regulation would be issued this week to remove any doubt. The controversial regulation is a result of Germany’s recent return to a type of partial military service. Source: dw
When will tax relief arrive?
The Iran war has led to a new energy crisis. The German government coalition wants to counteract this, reducing the mineral oil tax on diesel and gasoline by approximately 17 cents gross per liter (limited to two months). Lars Klingbeil (SPD), Minister of Finance, affirms this will happen “as soon as possible.” However, due to legislation, among other aspects, it might take some weeks before the tax cut is reflected at the pumps. Employees will also be able to receive a tax-free bonus of 1,000 euros from their employers. Nevertheless, the plan faces much criticism from various stakeholders, such as Greenpeace or the Leibniz Institute for Economic Research at Halle (IWH). Source: tagesschau