Germany

[phkrause]

Germany bids farewell to its last nuclear plants, eyes hydrogen future

LINGEN, Germany (AP) — For 35 years, the Emsland nuclear power plant in northwestern Germany has reliably provided millions of homes with electricity and many with well-paid jobs in what was once an agricultural backwater.

https://apnews.com/article/germany-nuclear-power-shutdown-merkel-climate-7cec2956fa05896edaa503b648ed06a1?

Over and out: Germany switches off its last nuclear plants

BERLIN (AP) — “Nuclear power, no thanks!”

https://apnews.com/article/germany-nuclear-power-plants-shut-energy-376dfaa223f88fedff138b9a63a6f0da

[phkrause]

85 years after Kristallnacht, Germany to begin rebuilding grand synagogue in Hamburg

(JTA) — More than 80 years after one of Germany’s most prominent synagogues was destroyed on Kristallnacht, the Jewish community of Hamburg has taken ownership of the building’s site and is set to begin rebuilding it.

https://www.jta.org/2023/09/28/global/85-years-after-kristallnacht-germany-to-begin-rebuilding-grand-synagogue-in-hamburg?

[phkrause]

300-year-old painting stolen by an American soldier during World War II returned to German museum

CHICAGO (AP) — After a stopover in the U.S. that lasted the better part of a century, a baroque landscape painting that went missing during World War II was returned to Germany on Thursday.

https://apnews.com/article/painting-stolen-world-war-ii-american-germany-c6d9850c9f934cd9dcb74d01e2989448?

[phkrause]

Oct. 7 nearly derailed Berlin’s famous Israeli-Palestinian restaurant. But it’s back in business.

(JTA) — On the morning of Oct. 7, as the horrors unfolding in southern Israel reverberated through mobile screens and live-streamed videos across the world, a hummus restaurant in Germany closed its doors.

https://www.jta.org/2023/11/22/food/oct-7-nearly-derailed-berlins-famous-israeli-palestinian-restaurant-but-theyre-back-in-business?

[phkrause]

The worst-performing major economy also faces a budget crisis. Germany’s leader vows fixes, but how?

FRANKFURT, Germany (AP) — German Chancellor Olaf Scholz vowed Tuesday that his government will work “as fast as possible” to solve a budget crisis, but he offered few details on how he would achieve his goals of promoting clean energy and modernizing the struggling economy after a court decision struck down billions in planned spending.

https://apnews.com/article/german-economy-budget-crisis-scholz-d6015679d5c4604f9a16a118bb445983?

[phkrause]

German tractors clog Berlin as farmer protests reach climax

German farmers converged on Berlin on Monday for demonstrations that filled the streets around the city's famous Brandenburg Gate.

https://www.dw.com/en/german-tractors-clog-berlin-as-farmer-protests-reach-climax/a-67980847

[phkrause]

Protests against Germany’s far right draw hundreds of thousands — in Munich, too many for safety

BERLIN (AP) — A protest against the far right in the German city of Munich Sunday afternoon ended early due to safety concerns after approximately 100,000 people showed up, police said. The demonstration was one of dozens around the country this weekend that drew hundreds of thousands of people in total.

https://apnews.com/article/germany-afd-far-right-protests-extremism-munich-f8298e02a03d74e4dd1576bdb74ef113?

[phkrause]

American man admits to attacking 2 US tourists and killing one of them near a famous German castle

BERLIN (AP) — An American man on Monday admitted to charges of murder and rape after he allegedly pushed two U.S. women down a ravine, fatally injuring one of them near Germany’s Neuschwanstein castle last year.

https://apnews.com/article/germany-trial-murder-neuschwanstein-castle-2ec3c42984dfc08b1f3d233b4fcac8e3?

[phkrause]

In Germany, the far right is on the rise again Many Germans believed their country had developed an immunity to nationalism and assertions of racial superiority after confronting the horrors of its Nazi past. They were wrong. Read more.

Key points: If an election were held today, Germany's far-right party would be the second largest party, according to polls. But even national polls camouflage an important division: the Alternative for Germany, or AfD, has disproportionate support in the formerly communist and less prosperous eastern states of Germany and their rise has been propelled by anger over inflation and, above all, rising immigration.   The party has benefitted from voters’ deep frustration with Chancellor Olaf Scholz. His government came to power over two years ago with a progressive, modernizing agenda, but now is viewed by many as dysfunctional and incapable.

RELATED COVERAGE ➤ Prominent European far-right figure prevented from speaking at an event in Switzerland   A Belgian court sentences a prominent far-right activist to 1 year in prison for spreading hate   Auschwitz survivor decries rise of the far right and increased antisemitism in Germany

[phkrause]

German police arrest a Russian man in connection with the fatal stabbings of 2 Ukrainian men

BERLIN (AP) — Two Ukrainian men were stabbed to death in southern Germany, police said Sunday, and a Russian man was arrested by authorities as a possible suspect in the killings.

https://www.newsbreak.com/news/3418781694980-german-police-arrest-a-russian-man-in-connection-with-the-fatal-stabbings-of-2-ukrainian-men?

[phkrause]

Unexpected luxury

Illustration: Natalie Peeples/Axios

German sandal maker Birkenstock, a 250-year-old family brand known more for orthopedics than high fashion, has over the past decade become a surprise runway darling, cashed in on viral trends, and accumulated quite a bit of street cred, Axios' Natalie Daher writes. Why it matters: While practicality and luxury don't typically mix, Birkenstock has been one exception, teaming up with high-fashion designers like Valentino and Dior. Zoom in: CEO Oliver Reichert, a war correspondent turned retail executive, brought the brand into the digital world with a new online store, Bloomberg's Tim Loh reports. And designer Phoebe Philo handed Birkenstocks a win in 2012 by featuring lookalikes onstage during Paris Fashion Week. Read on.

[phkrause]

Bunker reborn

The St. Pauli bunker in Hamburg, Germany, was built using forced labor during Adolf Hitler’s Nazi regime and has dominated the city skyline for 80 years. Now it’s been turned into a hotel and leisure complex with a lush rooftop garden.

[phkrause]

Far-right party aims for wins in 2 state elections as Germany’s government flounders

BERLIN (AP) — The far-right Alternative for Germany could become the strongest party for the first time in two state elections Sunday in eastern Germany, while a months-old party founded by a prominent leftist also hopes to shake up the picture as the national government has squabbled its way to deep unpopularity.

https://apnews.com/article/germany-elections-saxony-thuringia-far-right-afd-fc40452ba7853f0237e1c1e2bec8b27a?

[phkrause]

A German far-right party wins a state election for the first time post-World War II  The far-right Alternative for Germany, or AfD, won a state election in Thuringia for the first time in post-World War II Germany in the country’s east on Sunday, and looked set to finish a very close second in neighboring Saxony to mainstream conservatives in a second vote. Read more.

Key points: Other parties say they won’t put the AfD party in power by joining it in a coalition. Even so, its strength is likely to make it extremely difficult to form new state governments, forcing other parties into exotic new coalitions.    Deep discontent with a government notorious for infighting, anti-immigration sentiment and skepticism toward German military aid for Ukraine are among the factors that have contributed to support for populist parties. AfD is at its strongest in the formerly communist east, and the domestic intelligence agency has the party’s branches in both Saxony and Thuringia under official surveillance as “proven right-wing extremist” groups.

RELATED COVERAGE ➤ As the far right rises in eastern Germany, companies struggle to attract skilled foreign workers   Being Black in Germany has never been easy. Elections in eastern states could make it harder still

[phkrause]

Germany’s economy is in trouble. The government’s collapse and Trump’s return bring more risk The collapse of Germany’s governing coalition and President-elect Donald Trump’s imminent return to the White House are creating new risks for the European Union’s biggest economy, already in a troubling decline. Read more.

Why this matters: Germany’s economy has been shrinking for the past two years in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic, war in Ukraine and competition from China. Amid both structural problems at home and global challenges, Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s fractious three-party coalition failed to find a way forward on some key issues and the situation came to a head Wednesday night when Scholz announced he was firing Finance Minister Christian Lindner. The move effectively meant the collapse of the chancellor’s coalition.   The coalition’s breakdown followed weeks of internal disputes over how to boost Germany’s ailing economy and came in the final hours of a day in which European leaders began to digest the certainty of another Trump presidency, which will have serious implications for European security and the economy.

RELATED COVERAGE ➤ Leader of the free world has never been a role Trump has embraced. The world has gotten the message   Hungary’s Orbán predicts Trump’s administration will end US support for Ukraine   The Berlin Wall: A divide that once shaped German women’s lives still echoes today

[phkrause]

Cargo plane crash

German leaders raised the possibility that a fiery cargo plane crash in Lithuania on Monday was the result of sabotage or hybrid warfare. The plane that crashed was a Swiftair aircraft "operating under contract for DHL," the logistics company told CNN. It was flying from Leipzig, Germany, and was due to land at Vilnius Airport when it crashed a few kilometers from the runway. Asked on Monday whether the crash was the result of hybrid warfare, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz told public broadcaster ZDF: "We are looking at this closely, we can't say at the moment, but it could be so — there are very many bad forms of hybrid warfare that we are seeing in Germany." Meanwhile, Lithuanian authorities downplayed the prospect of nefarious activity, insisting that no evidence pointing to sabotage had yet been uncovered.

[phkrause]

At least 2 dead and 60 hurt after a car drives into a German Christmas market in a suspected attack

MAGDEBURG, Germany (AP) — A car plowed into a busy outdoor Christmas market in the eastern German city of Magdeburg on Friday, killing at least two people and injuring at least 60 others in what authorities called a deliberate attack.

https://apnews.com/article/germany-magdeburg-christmas-market-6b2bcf305eb9f60f8d7273949dbba4c8?

[phkrause]

Germany’s president dissolves parliament, sets national election for Feb. 23

FRANKFURT, Germany (AP) — German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier on Friday ordered parliament dissolved and set new elections for Feb. 23 in the wake of the collapse of Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s coalition, saying it was the only way to give the country a stable government capable of tackling its problems.

https://apnews.com/article/germany-election-steinmeier-32a9c393067faac264fae7bb29b3e4ef?

[phkrause]

France’s former President Sarkozy standing trial over alleged campaign funding by Libya’s Gadhafi France’s former President Nicolas Sarkozy goes on trial today over alleged illegal financing of his 2007 presidential campaign by the government of then-Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi. Sarkozy, who served as president from 2007 to 2012, has denied any wrongdoing. Read more.

Why this matters: The Libyan case, the biggest and possibly most shocking of several scandals involving Sarkozy, is scheduled to run until April 10, with a verdict expected at a later date. Sarkozy, 69, faces charges of passive corruption, illegal campaign financing, concealment of embezzlement of public funds and criminal association, punished by up to 10 years in prison.   The case emerged in March 2011, when a Libyan news agency reported that the Gadhafi government had financed Sarkozy’s 2007 campaign. In an interview, Gadhafi himself said “it’s thanks to us that he reached the presidency. We provided him with the funds that allowed him to win,” without providing any amount or other details. Sarkozy, who had welcomed Gadhafi to Paris with great honors in 2007, became one of the first Western leaders to push for a military intervention in Libya in March 2011.

RELATED COVERAGE ➤ Austrian far-right leader meets president as expectations mount he will be asked to form government   Death toll from the German Christmas market attack rises to 6   Heavy snow brings widespread disruption across the UK and Germany

[phkrause]

🎄1 for the road

Photo: Ebrahim Noroozi/AP Unsold Christmas trees are fed to the animals at the Berlin Zoo.

[phkrause]

1 dead and 25 injured after a high-speed train and a truck collide in Germany

BERLIN (AP) — A collision between a high-speed train and a truck on the outskirts of the German city of Hamburg left one person dead and 25 injured, six of them seriously, police said.

https://apnews.com/article/germany-train-accident-truck-injuries-12e3c321ddff9caa3d5cf34495a320f4?

[phkrause]

A far-right party is heading for its strongest result yet in Germany’s election This February 23, Alternative for Germany is heading for its strongest national election result yet and is fielding its first candidate to lead the country. Read more.

Why this matters: The far-right party first entered Germany’s national parliament eight years ago on the back of discontent with the arrival of large numbers of migrants in the mid-2010s, and curbing migration remains its signature theme. But the party has proven adept at harnessing discontent with other issues: Germany’s move away from fossil fuels, restrictions during the COVID-19 pandemic, and support for Ukraine after Russia’s full-scale invasion nearly three years ago.   The AfD’s rise has coincided with that of far-right parties in many other European countries, including Austria’s Freedom Party and the National Rally in France.The party has also found an enthusiastic supporter in billionaire Elon Musk.

RELATED COVERAGE ➤ Hungary’s Orbán meets head of far-right German party AfD, calling her ‘the future of Germany’   WATCH: Analyst looks at the allure of the AfD ahead of the German national election

[phkrause]

A driver plows into a demonstration in Munich, injuring 30 people

BERLIN (AP) — A driver drove a car into a labor union demonstration in central Munich on Thursday, injuring 30 people including children, authorities said. Officials said it was believed to be an attack.

https://apnews.com/article/germany-munich-car-crowd-4fe219d06bba255ec9971555e724bb90?

[phkrause]

Germany votes Sunday for a new government that will shape Europe’s response to an assertive Trump German voters go to the polls Sunday to elect a new parliament that will determine how the country is run for the next four years. Germany is Europe’s biggest economy, the 27-nation European Union’s most populous nation, and a leading member of NATO, as well as the second-biggest weapons supplier to Ukraine, after the United States. Read more.

Why this matters: Four candidates are running to be Germany’s next leader: incumbent Chancellor Olaf Scholz, of the center-left Social Democrats; Friedrich Merz, the candidate of the mainstream conservative Christian Democratic Union party; current Vice Chancellor Robert Habeck, of the environmentalist Greens; and Alice Weidel, of the far-right, anti-immigration Alternative for Germany, or AfD. Preelection polls have put Merz’s Union bloc in the lead with around 30% support, ahead of the AfDwith around 20%.   Germany and neighboring France have traditionally been the motor of the EU, but both heavyweights have been consumed by domestic political instability in recent months.

RELATED COVERAGE ➤ WATCH: Senators react to Trump claiming Ukraine started war with Russia   Trump says Ukraine started the war that’s killing its citizens. What are the facts?   A worried NATO holds large-scale combat drills as the US stance on Europe shifts under Trump

[phkrause]

German elections: CDU’s Merz looks set to be next chancellor as far-right AfD surges

Germany’s center-right Christian Democratic Union (CDU) is set to return to power with the far-right Alternative for Germany as second-largest party, exit polls show, after snap elections dominated by concerns over immigration, the economy and the return of Donald Trump.

https://www.cnn.com/world/live-news/germany-election-polls-results-intl/index.html?

🇩🇪 German winner vows "independence" from U.S.

Friedrich Merz, set to become Germany's next chancellor after his conservative party won the national election yesterday, vowed to help give Europe "real independence" from the U.S. as he prepared to cobble together a government.

• Why it matters: Merz took aim at the U.S. in blunt remarks after his victory, criticizing the "ultimately outrageous" comments flowing from Washington during the campaign, and comparing them to hostile interventions from Russia. He said the U.S. has become "largely indifferent" to Europe's fate.

Merz told a roundtable TV discussion last night that his "absolute priority" would be to "strengthen Europe as quickly as possible so that we can achieve real independence from the U.S., step by step," BBC reports.

Data: German Federal Returning Officer. Chart: AP

Merz faces complex and lengthy coalition negotiations after the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) surged to a historic second place, Reuters reports.

• Mainstream parties rule out working with the AfD, endorsed by Elon Musk.

Go deeper.

German elections

Germany's conservative opposition came out on top in elections Sunday and shared a new plan for relations with the US. Friedrich Merz is on track to become Germany's next chancellor after preliminary results showed his center-right bloc will win the country's snap elections. Shortly after his victory was clear, Merz said his "absolute priority" will be to strengthen Europe and "achieve independence from the USA." Meanwhile, President Trump is celebrating the election results, suggesting the opposition win signals a global shift toward conservative movements.