News from Berlin

German citizenship applications: around 5% rejected in Berlin

According to figures from the Berlin State Office for Immigration (LEA), cited by Interior State Secretary Christian Hochgrebe (SPD), the LEA’s naturalisation department rejected one in 20 citizenship applications in 2025: 39,034 Berliners were successfully naturalised last year, while 1,931 had their applications rejected. Hochgrebe said there were multiple reasons why applications might be rejected, for example, if information is missing, inconsistent or incorrect. In some applications, workers may suspect documents have been forged. Since operations were centralised at the LEA, staff numbers have nearly doubled, and the application process has been almost entirely digitised. According to Hochgrebe, digitisation means security standards are now “significantly higher”. Source: iamexpat

An example

On February 25, Bild announced that Berlinale festival director Tricia Tuttle was about to be dismissed, not only because of Syrian-Palestinian director Abdallah Alkhatib’s speech at the closing gala, but also because a photo taken before that shows her with the Alkhatib film crew and a Palestinian flag. However, making an example out of Tuttle did not work. Tuttle has received a great deal of solidarity: more than 600 filmmakers signed an open letter on the “Future of the Berlinale,” and the German Cultural Council, the Federal Association of Directors and a group of Israeli directors have expressed their support. Source: jW

EU: armaments instead of urban development?

The European Commission is urging member states to use funding from cohesion policy—funds intended for the social and economic development of regions—for the expansion of military infrastructure. The Commission is planning 4 multimodal corridors for “short-term and large-scale military movements” in Europe. For the period 2021 to 2027, Berlin is earmarked for approximately €680 million from the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF). Whether Berlin and Brandenburg could also be directly involved in a “dual-use” infrastructure (i.e, for civilian and military purposes) is unclear: the Berlin Senate claims to have no knowledge about it. Source: BZ

“NOlympia” and the potential withdrawal from the Olympic bid

The Berlin Senate anticipates that withdrawing its bid for the Olympic and Paralympic Games would incur administrative costs of “up to one million euros.” This is according to the official cost estimate from the Senate Department for the citizens’ initiative “For Berlin—Against the Olympics. We say no to a bid for the Olympic Games in 2036, 2040, and 2044.” The “NOlympia” alliance sharply criticized the Senate Department for the Interior for its calculations. “This cost estimate is a political smokescreen,” said Gabriele Hiller, spokesperson for the alliance. “The Senate is trying to convince the people of Berlin that it would be more expensive not to host the Games than to hold them.” Source: tagesspiegel

“Wing of Zion” at the Berlin Brandenburg Airport (BER)

While fighting between Israel and Iran continues to escalate in the Middle East, the Israeli government plane has been moved from the crisis region to Berlin. The Boeing 767 used for government travel, known as “Wing of Zion,” is now safely parked on the tarmac at BER Airport, away from the fighting—apparently as a precautionary measure. BER declined to comment on the aircraft’s whereabouts when asked, and the Israeli embassy also did not initially respond to a request for comment. According to Israeli media reports, the aircraft had been moved out of the country during previous conflicts to protect it from missile attacks. Source: morgenpost

Protest against Görlitzer Park closure remains peaceful

After years of debate, Görlitzer Park in Berlin-Kreuzberg was closed for the first time at night on March 1. Earlier in the evening, around 300 people protested the closure at a demonstration, partly moderated by a representative of the Green Party. They gathered in the park for a concert under the motto “Rave against the Zaun” (Rave against the Fence). Approximately 200 police officers were deployed. According to reports, the protest remained peaceful, with one person arrested. In the future, the 16 entrances will be closed every evening with the newly constructed gates, as the Senate had announced. Exiting the park will still be possible via revolving doors. Source: rbb

News from Germany

AfD wins summary proceedings regarding classification as “right-wing extremist”

The Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution (BfV) is not permitted to classify and treat the AfD as “confirmed right-wing extremist” for the time being. The Cologne Administrative Court has ruled that the federal authority must await the outcome of the main proceedings. The court noted that the Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution based its assessment exclusively on publicly available sources. The Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution must also refrain from publicly announcing such a classification. An urgent application by the AfD has thus been granted in essence. The decision can still be appealed. Source: jW

Tough measures against Left Youth spokesperson

Martha Chiara Wüthrich (Die Linke) was elected last November to the seven-member Federal Spokesperson Council of the Left Youth Solid, the party’s youth organization. However, according to a decision by the Thuringian State Arbitration Commission of Die Linke, all her membership rights have been revoked for two years, and she is no longer welcome in the party. She is alleged to have made “antisemitic” and “violence-glorifying” statements and to have relativized the Holocaust. Wüthrich intends to first examine the possibility of challenging the Thuringian decision on the grounds of “procedural errors.” She can also appeal to the federal arbitration commission. Source: nd

Fritz-Kola, a supporter of the CDU?

Fritz-Kola was one of the companies which sponsored the CDU Party Conference last month. Given the company’s background, it sounds strange. Such support caused many negative reactions online, even calling for a boycott of the beverage. According to a statement published on Instagram and Facebook by founder and CEO Mirco Wolf Wiegert, that was not an easy decision for the company but considered necessary in the interest of democracy and an open society. Nevertheless, some commentators accuse the Hamburg-based company of lobbying, since the sugar tax was discussed at the conference. Fritz-Kola is against it, advocating instead for conscious consumption. Source: mopo

Hennigsdorf CDU Votes with AfD for Citizens’ Militia

The Hennigsdorf city council (SVV) intends to establish a kind of citizens’ militia to strengthen the “subjective sense of security” near its train station. Five CDU councilors, four councilors from the “Citizens for Hennigsdorf” voters’ association, and the entire seven-member AfD faction voted in favor. The Brandenburg branch of the AfD is classified as a confirmed right-wing extremist organization by the Office for the Protection of the Constitution. Police see no benefit from the initiative: the head of the Hennigsdorf police, Chief Inspector Gerald Bliß, had made it very clear how pointless he considered the project. He was familiar with such security partnerships from neighborhoods or allotment garden associations, Bliß said. But they “should originate from the grassroots.” Source: taz

News from Berlin

Berliners increasingly chauvinistic

“Shocking, but not surprising,” says Alina Voinea, commenting on the findings of the new Berlin Monitor. The study finds that 24.4% of Berliners express chauvinistic attitudes. The monitor also examines a broader range of social and political attitudes, including discrimination and democratic stability. Voinea is the Berlin state government’s contact person for antigypsyism. Commissioned by the Senate Department for Anti-Discrimination, the monitor examines racism against Sinti and Roma alongside antisemitism. The results of the study, which surveyed more than 2,000 Berliners, were presented on February 23. While 70% of respondents agreed in 2021 that they were generally satisfied with the democracy as it exists in Germany, this figure dropped to 62% by 2025. And 40% of Berliners were classified as “fragile democrats”—the highest percentage since the study began in 2019. Source: nd-aktuell

Environment Minister Schneider leaves the Berlinale awards ceremony

Excitement surrounding a speech at the Berlinale: the Federal Environment Minister Carsten Schneider (SPD) left the hall on February 21 in protest. That happened because the Syrian-Palestinian director Abdallah Alkhatib, who won the award for best feature film debut with “Chronicles from the Siege”, had accused the federal government of “being a partner in the genocide in Gaza.”. The Gaza war was also discussed when Lebanese director Marie-Rose Osta (“Yawman ma walad” – “Someday a Child”), said that the ceasefire was not being observed. Festival director Tricia Tuttle affirmed that a festival like Berlinale cannot solve the world’s conflicts. “But it can create space for complexity, for listening and for humanizing one another.” Source: spiegel

Kreuzberg ticket office files for insolvency

The Berlin ticket office KOKA36 has filed for insolvency. This was revealed in a filing dated February 11 at the Charlottenburg District Court. The shop, a fixture for concertgoers on Oranienstraße in Berlin’s Kreuzberg district for over 30 years, has been closed since last week. Although insolvency proceedings are initially just a court-ordered process to determine how debts can be settled or the company restructured, it is currently unclear whether regular operations will resume. The SO36 concert venue is also affected by the insolvency. A crowdfunding campaign (at https://www.startnext.com/so36-cool/mehr-infos) is now underway to minimize the losses. Source: groove.de

News from Germany

Intelligence officers oppose AfD ban

It is another setback for a ban on the AfD: Germany’s domestic intelligence agency, the Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution, is skeptical about a ban on the party. The intelligence officers fear being “blind and deaf” in the event of a ban, with informants and undercover investigators being deactivated or withdrawn. There is actually no unanimous opinion among intelligence officials if informants are necessary to keep an eye on the AfD. Source: nd-aktuell

Germany is shrinking

The wave of bankruptcies in Germany continues to persist: in January, 1,391 partnerships and corporations officially filed for insolvency. While this was fewer than in December, it was 4% higher than in 2025. Steffen Müller, head of insolvency research at the Leibniz Institute for Economic Research Halle, believes that “easing of the situation” is possible no earlier than April. Furthermore, job losses in the industrial sector were almost twice as high as in 2024, according to data from the Federal Statistical Office and an analysis which covers companies with at least 50 employees. This means the actual decline is greater. Source: jungewelt

Greens offer cooperation to Merz on constitutional amendments

The Greens have signaled their willingness to discuss constitutional amendments with Chancellor Friedrich Merz (CDU). At the same time, the party is presenting its own reform package entitled “Immediate Action Program for the Future,” which proposes far-reaching changes to the pension and healthcare systems. The authors are Katharina Dröge and Britta Haßelmann, the two co-chairs of the Greens’ parliamentary group in the Bundestag. The document is largely very general, and the Greens only provide specifics on two points. On the one hand, they advocate for net immigration of 400,000 workers per year. On the other hand, they want to replace the Riester pension scheme with a state-run citizens’ fund. Source: berliner Zeitung

BKA figures for 2025: right-wing violence increases again

According to figures from the Federal Criminal Police Office (BKA), there was in 2025 1,521 cases of politically motivated violence from the right-wing spectrum in Germany. In 2024, there were 1,488 of those crimes in the country. Such figures are part of a response from the Federal Government to the Left Party. The Government also pointed out that the number of crimes may still change due to late reports. Ferat Kocak, domestic policy expert for the Left Party, observes that “Right-wing violence continues to escalate, and the federal government is looking the other way.” Source: tagesspiel

Exactly 100 years after the NSDAP Reich Party Rally

The AfD wants to meet in Erfurt at the beginning of July – exactly a century after the NSDAP party conference in Weimar. Historians and politicians see this as a deliberate provocation. “The deliberately chosen parallel shows once again who the brainchild of the AfD is,” said Foreign Office State Minister Serap Güler (CDU) to the “Kölner Stadt-Anzeiger”. ” It disgusts me how little decency and respect this party has for our history,” Güler added. The historian and totalitarianism researcher Jörg Ganzenmüller, director of the Hannah Arendt Institute for Research on Totalitarianism at the TU Dresden, spoke of “a conscious symbolic act that works on several levels”. Source: tagesspiel

A 13-Year-Old attacks a Muslim schoolmate with knife

A 13-year-old boy allegedly attacked a Muslim schoolmate with a knife at a school in Bretten, near Karlsruhe, inflicting minor injuries. According to the Baden-Württemberg State Criminal Police Office, the suspected perpetrator had recently come to their attention for making far-right extremist statements. In Germany, children under 14 are not criminally responsible in Germany, and therefore they do not face criminal charges. “Nevertheless, it is our goal to clarify the background of the incident and to support the responsible youth welfare office in providing the boy and his family with the necessary assistance,” the State Criminal Police Office further stated. Source: islamiq

“Germany Monitor”: strong support for democracy, doubts about its function

The world is changing, mostly for the worse: autocracies are on the rise, and democratic societies are under pressure. The “Germany Monitor 2025” concludes nevertheless that 98% of all Germans have a positive attitude toward the idea of democracy. However, only 68% say that democracy means the government must adhere to parliamentary decisions and the separation of powers. The focus of such study, with the participation of 4,000 representative individuals across Germany, were also asked in which areas of politics they most perceive these changes. The strongest change is in defense policy. Source: dw

News from Berlin

Arundhati Roy cancels Berlinale participation due to Wim Wenders’ statement

Indian writer Arundhati Roy has canceled her participation in the Berlinale film festival because she was offended by a statement made by jury president Wim Wenders regarding the Gaza war. As Spiegel Online reported, the 80-year-old director was asked about the German government’s stance on the Gaza war. Wenders replied that filmmakers should stay out of politics. Arundhati Roy (author of The Great God of Small Things) called the statement that art is not political “unbelievable,” according to Spiegel Online. Roy wrote the screenplay for the 1989 film In Which Annie Gives It Those Ones, which is being screened as part of the festival’s classic film program. Source: deutschlandfunk

Tesla vs. IG Metall

Police were called to the works council meeting at the Tesla plant in Grünheide near Berlin. Plant manager André Thierig, writing on the “X” portal, accused a representative of the IG Metall union of recording the meeting without authorization. Tesla contacted the police and filed a complaint. IG Metall called it a smear campaign and rejected the accusation. A new works council is to be elected at Elon Musk’s only European Tesla factory at the beginning of March. A conflict has existed between Tesla and the IG Metall union for some time. Tesla refuses to introduce a collective bargaining agreement. Source: t-online

News from Germany

4,200 Germans Serve in Israel’s Military

More than 50,000 soldiers in the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) hold at least one other nationality in addition to their Israeli citizenship. By far the largest group consists of US citizens (more than 13,000). Germany ranks fourth with a total of 4,193 soldiers. These figures come from the response to a 2025 Freedom of Information Request submitted by an Israeli NGO. Such double citizenship poses a question: many European countries are obligated to investigate crimes against humanity as soon as their own citizens are involved. Currently, investigations are underway against several Israelis with dual citizenship who are suspected of involvement in war crimes. Source: nd

Migration: CDU wants tough rules at EU borders

The CDU wants to push through a further tightening of migration policy. A resolution is targeted for adoption at the CDU conference on February 20 and 21. According to Bild, the CDU wants asylum seekers attempting to enter the EU from safe third countries to be immediately turned back at the EU’s external border without any checks. The motion proposes, among others, advanced language skills and at least five years of residence without social assistance for naturalization. It also establishes certain principles for those who have already been naturalized: for example, participants in demonstrations demanding the caliphate or Sharia law, as well as those convicted of antisemitic crimes, should lose their passports. Source: merkur

Afghan killed for opposing royalist Iran’s “Lion and Sun” flag

A 43-year-old Afghan citizen named Morteza Sadeghi, owner of the Sepideh restaurant in Hamburg, died after being stabbed multiple times on February 12. He had lived in Germany for more than 35 years and founded the restaurant about 25 years ago. Preliminary information indicates that the confrontation occurred when Sadeghi opposed a royalist Iranian immigrant’s request to erect the “Lion and Sun” flag of the overthrown Iranian monarchy in his restaurant, leading to a fight and ultimately his murder. Reports indicate that the suspect fled the scene after the incident, and efforts are ongoing to identify and arrest him. Source: ava

Government in Germany announces further rent regulations

In June 2025, the CDU/CSU-SPD coalition extended the rent brake law (Mietpreisbremse) until 2029. Now, Justice Minister Stefanie Hubig (SPD) has announced a “second package” regulating index-linked rental contracts, furnished apartments and short-term lets. According to the draft law, seen by public broadcaster ARD, landlords will, for instance, be able to annually increase index-linked rents by a maximum of 3.5% of the previous net cold rent. Hubig said, in an interview with ARD, that the law should be ready by parliamentary recess this summer. Opposition parties point out that the proposed reform is too slow and still too lax. Source: iamexpat

German integration course admissions are frozen until further notice

The Federal Office for Migration and Refugees (BAMF) has confirmed that it is not currently admitting new students to German integration courses and that admissions are paused until further notice. The BAMF stopped integration course admissions in December 2025. Integration courses are designed by the German government to help anyone who has recently arrived in Germany to adjust to everyday life. “We don’t know the reason for the suspension,” Institute for Language and Communication (ISK) representative Gerd Heymann told Correctiv, a German investigative journalism nonprofit organization. Source: iamexpat

News from Berlin

Exiled Iranians call for a demonstration in Berlin

On February 7, Iranian exile groups called for a large demonstration in Berlin. The organisers have registered 20,000 participants with the police. However, far more people have attended that. The call comes from a broad spectrum of Iranian associations and exiled opposition organizations active in Germany and other European countries. They are united by their outrage at the violent suppression of the protests and their desire for regime change. The rally also demanded a reorientation of German policy toward Iran. What has already changed is the tone of the German government toward the Iranian leadership. For example, Chancellor Friedrich Merz (CDU) has questioned its legitimacy. Source: tagesschau

Warning strikes on Wednesday: daycare centers, schools and government offices

Due to a warning strike called by ver.di in the public sector, Berliners faced restrictions in daycare centers, schools and district offices on February 11. Employees of the fire department, police, and senate administrations are also expected to join in and participate in a large demonstration and rally in Potsdam. In collective bargaining negotiations with the federal states, ver.di is demanding a 7% increase in monthly wages, but at least an additional €300 for lower wage groups. In recent weeks, there have already been widespread warning strikes in several federal states, including at schools. Source: berlin.de

AfD Youth Organisation establishes chapters in Berlin and Brandenburg

The new AfD youth organization, “Generation Germany,” established state chapters in Brandenburg and Berlin on February 7. State parliament member Fabian Jank was elected chairman in Brandenburg as the sole candidate, unanimously. According to the AfD, the Berlin branch is launching with approximately 70 members. Both new branches were accompanied by protests. Around 100 people gathered outside the venue in Königs Wusterhausen to protest against the AfD youth organization. In Berlin, around 130 people participated in a counter-protest, demonstrating behind the erected barriers with chants and banners bearing slogans such as “Ban the AfD now!” Source: rbb

Last Generation: a criminal organisation?

The Potsdam Regional Court has opened legal proceedings against climate activists from the now-dissolved climate group Last Generation. Five members must now face charges of being part of a criminal organization. The corresponding letter from the Potsdam Regional Court was made available to “taz”; the court could not be reached for comment. Potsdam is thus the first court to actually bring this charge before a judge. At the same time, the public prosecutor’s offices in Flensburg and Munich have also filed charges under Section 129 of the German Criminal Code. This section allows the police relatively low thresholds for extensive surveillance measures. Source: taz

Homeowners can be liable for accident damage caused by icy conditions

Homeowners must ensure that sidewalks adjacent to their house or property can be safely accessed when icy. This is regulated by the Berlin Street Cleaning Act. The so-called gritting obligation begins at 7 a.m. on weekdays and ends at 8 p.m. If freezing rain or sleet is forecast for the entire day, the homeowner must grit or salt several times. Those who don’t want to clear the snow and ice themselves can delegate this responsibility to a professional winter service or a building manager. However, homeowners must regularly check that the obligation to clear snow and ice is being reliably fulfilled; otherwise, they remain liable in the event of accidents. Source: Unfallkasse Berlin

News from Germany

UN Report: freedom of expression in Germany is “Restricted”

The UN Special Rapporteur on the Right to Freedom of Expression, Irene Khan, has issued an alarming assessment of Germany. In her “preliminary observations” following an official visit from January 26 to February 6, 2026, she writes that freedom of expression in Germany is being undermined by several “negative developments.” Khan lists specific allegations that, in her view, reveal a pattern: restrictions and bans on peaceful protests, “arbitrary arrests and detentions,” “excessive use of force,” deportation threats, and raids on the homes of human rights defenders. She describes the societal consequences: less public participation, shrinking debates in science and art, and a general climate of mistrust and uncertainty. Source: itidal

Germany launches 2026 “microcensus”

The German Federal Statistical Office (Destatis) has launched the 2026 microcensus, which will focus on housing. Over the course of the year, 1% of the German population will be surveyed as part of that microcensus. During the current year, participating households will be surveyed four times. In the first survey, they will answer general questions about the people in the household. The second survey will focus on work, the third on income and the fourth on using the internet. Destatis has sent out letters to selected participants who are obliged to take part. This is so that they represent properly the broader population. Source: iamexpat

Germany: attacks on journalists increase sharply

The Federal Criminal Police Office (BKA) registered a total of 818 politically motivated crimes targeting media outlets in Germany between April 1, 2024, and November 30, 2025. Among these were 89 violent offenses. Security authorities attribute approximately one-third of these crimes—a total of 244—to the political right, and 78 to the left. They see a foreign ideology behind 153 cases and a religious ideology behind 31. A further 312 offenses fall under the category of “other affiliation.” These figures come from a response by the Federal Government to a parliamentary inquiry from the Left Party, which was obtained by the newspaper “Rheinische Post.” Source: dw

Warning strikes across almost all of Germany

On Wednesday, February 11, negotiations will take place likely for the last time in the current round of wage talks, regarding the salaries of state public sector employees. A day before, unions planned to further increase pressure on employers with warning strikes across almost all of Germany – the only exception being Hesse. University hospitals, colleges, and road construction authorities are particularly affected. In some states, daycare centers and schools are also expected to be affected. The Confederation of German Employers’ Associations (BDA) believes the strikes are going too far. “Germany urgently needs a law for fair rules during strikes,” said Managing Director Steffen Kampeter to the Bild newspaper. Source: tagesschau

News from Berlin

More climate activists convicted for paint attack on Brandenburg Gate

Around two and a half years after the paint attack on the Brandenburg Gate in Berlin, four more climate activists have been fined: the Tiergarten District Court found three men and one woman guilty of property damage and resisting law enforcement officers, a court spokeswoman said on Monday. The fines range from 1,200 to 3,300 Euros. According to the indictment, the four convicted individuals were involved in the protest in September 2023 along with ten other members of the group “Letzte Generation.” During the protest, the Brandenburg Gate was sprayed with paint to draw attention to the climate crisis. The public prosecutor’s office has lodged an appeal. The verdict is not yet final. Source: rbb

Spore Initiative defies hate graffiti

Last week, the Spore Initiative building in Neukölln was the target of a deliberate attack. The word “remigration” was spray-painted in large letters on the façade—a charged term that plays a central role in current political debates and in the rhetoric of the AfD. The graffiti was met with horror by the team and the neighbourhood, but also with determined composure: “We will not be intimidated, but we are alarmed,” commented press spokesman Gurmeet Singh. Unfortunately, incidents like this are nothing new in Berlin. More than ten years ago, theatre performances were targeted by right-wing disrupters: for example, Falk Richter’s play Fear at the Schaubühne was repeatedly interrupted. Source: taz

News from Germany

Tenants are not allowed to make a profit from subletting

People who go abroad for a longer period of time often sublet their flat—often at a higher price. The Federal Court of Justice has now ruled that no profit may be made from this. The legitimate interest of a tenant in subletting is to cover housing-related expenses, stated the Federal Court of Justice (BGH) in Karlsruhe based on a case from Berlin. The purpose of subletting is not to create the opportunity to make a profit. The Federal Ministry of Justice is currently planning legal regulations for the furniture surcharge. Source: spiegel

CDU faces criticism over scrapping entitlement to part-time work

CDU politicians are calling on their party to scrap Germany’s “Rechtsanspruch auf Teilzeitarbeit,” a law which entitles full-time employees in the federal republic to reduce their hours to work part time. “Those who can work more should work more,” Gitta Connemann, who heads the business wing of the CDU, told the magazine Stern. The magazine has also seen a leaked copy of the policy paper, titled “No entitlement to lifestyle part-time.” The paper is expected to be presented at the CDU’s general conference in Stuttgart in February, where members will vote on whether it should be adopted as party policy. In 2024, 29% of the German working population worked part time. Among female employees, 49% worked part time. Source: iamexpat

Bavarian AfD would be for deportation police modelled on ICE

The AfD plans to introduce an “Asyl-, Fahndungs- und Abschiebegruppe” (“Asylum, Tracing and Deportation Group” or “AFA”), modelled on the American ICE, should it enter government in Bavaria following state elections on March 8. The Bavarian AfD also said it would make life even more inhospitable for people seeking asylum in Germany, by cutting their financial support and giving them only “bread, a bed and soap.” In the most recent “Sonntagsfrage” poll, which asks respondents who they would vote for if an election were held this Sunday, 39% of those surveyed in Bavaria said the CSU would have their vote, while 19% would vote for the AfD, 13% for the Greens and 9% for the Freie Wähler. Source: iamexpat

How bureaucratic hurdles exacerbate the shortage of skilled workers

Germany is in need for foreign skilled workers. But migrants face many hurdles if they want to work here. For instance, the number of refugees has risen sharply since 2015, but the government has not succeeded in getting most of them into work. As a result, dissatisfaction with German immigration policy has grown among the population. Besides that, there are many reasons why new employees do not want to renew their usual two-year contracts, including homesickness, family problems and difficulties with integration. According to Jörg Biebrach, Head of Nursing at the BDH Clinic in Vallendar, it is therefore very important for employers to make foreign employees feel welcome here. Source: dw

The small rebellion of ver.di

There is a hint of a general strike blowing through Germany. This week, there were temporary walkouts at schools, daycare centres, university hospitals, municipal authorities, and on trains, underground trains, trams and buses. Two major wage disputes are coinciding at the moment: one in the public sector and one in local public transport. And in both cases, ver.di plays the leading role in the dispute. That means power. As expected, Bild ran the headline on Sunday: “No strikes at an inopportune time!” Almost all regions and major cities in Germany were affected by the strike on Monday: only Lower Saxony was unaffected. Source: jw

Merz says economy his main focus after jobless numbers hit 12-year high

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz (CDU) said that boosting the economy would be his focus in 2026, after data showed that unemployment has powered past the 3 million marks to a 12-year high. Labour Office figures on January 30 highlighted the lag in the jobs market from the economic stagnation of the last few years, with 177,000 more people out of work in January than in December, bringing the total to 3.08 million. The unemployment rate jumped by 0.4% to 6.6% in seasonally unadjusted terms. The picture improved slightly when accounting for seasonal trends. Nevertheless, Economy Minister Katherina Reiche (CDU) said Germany must pivot toward new “growth engines”. Source: reuters

Federal Ministry of the Interior sees no moderation in new AfD youth organisation

The German government affirms the new AfD youth organisation shows no sign of moderation compared to its dissolved predecessor. In response to an interpellation by Green Party MP Marlene Schönberger, the responsible Ministry of the Interior writes that the composition of the federal executive committee of Generation Germany (GD) shows a high degree of personnel continuity with the former Young Alternative (JA), particularly at the official level. “There are known links between members of Generation Germany and other extremist organisations.” Generation Germany was founded in November 2025, following the dissolution of the Young Alternative, which had been classified as proven right-wing extremist by the Office for the Protection of the Constitution. Source: faz