https://feeds.thelocal.com/ Read the latest news and views from Germany in English en-us news@thelocal.com (TheLocal) webmaster@thelocal.com (TheLocal) TheLocal RSS Feed Unemployment rates are rising among graduates in Germany while traineeships, for jobs facing a shortage of workers, are increasingly vacant. So has vocational training become the better bet for job security? https://www.thelocal.de/20261006/are-young-people-in-germany-better-off-in-a-traineeship-or-university-programme Tue, 06 Oct 2026 17:04:28 +0200 are-young-people-in-germany-better-off-in-a-traineeship-or-university-programme From giant pumpkin displays and harvest traditions to illuminated landmarks and Halloween scares, October is one of the most varied months of the year for events in Germany. https://www.thelocal.de/20260929/whats-on-in-germany-10-unmissable-events-in-october-2026 Tue, 29 Sep 2026 15:35:53 +0200 whats-on-in-germany-10-unmissable-events-in-october-2026 Have you ever felt you had to order dessert, buy the latest gadget or stay late at work simply because everyone else was doing it? Then you need to know this word. https://www.thelocal.de/20261006/german-word-of-the-day-gruppenzwang Tue, 06 Oct 2026 16:42:18 +0200 german-word-of-the-day-gruppenzwang Rents are continuing to rise in Germany, but the situation differs between cities. From rocketing rents in Hamburg and Frankfurt to a slowdown in Berlin, here's the latest price developments on the rental market this year. https://www.thelocal.de/20261006/where-in-germany-rental-costs-are-rising-fastest-and-slowest Tue, 06 Oct 2026 15:54:21 +0200 where-in-germany-rental-costs-are-rising-fastest-and-slowest A candidate for Germany's AfD was elected parliament speaker in the state of Saxony Anhalt Tuesday, the first time a far-right party has held such a post in the country since 1945. https://www.thelocal.de/20261006/germanys-far-right-afd-gains-first-ever-state-parliament-speaker Tue, 06 Oct 2026 13:23:11 +0200 germanys-far-right-afd-gains-first-ever-state-parliament-speaker Germany's former foreign spy chief was arrested on Tuesday on suspicion of espionage, accused of seeking to pass sensitive information to overseas intelligence services, prosecutors said. https://www.thelocal.de/20261006/ex-german-spy-chief-arrested-for-espionage-and-treason Tue, 06 Oct 2026 13:15:49 +0200 ex-german-spy-chief-arrested-for-espionage-and-treason Should Germany's citizenship test be be rewritten, made harder or simply scrapped? We asked readers, and also political parties, how they would change the 'Einbürgerungstest'. https://www.thelocal.de/20261006/its-just-weird-how-readers-and-parties-think-germanys-citizenship-test-should-change Tue, 06 Oct 2026 10:39:23 +0200 its-just-weird-how-readers-and-parties-think-germanys-citizenship-test-should-change AI agents going rogue and ever-louder doomsday warnings have led many in Europe to wonder: are the EU's artificial intelligence rules enough to protect against the potential dangers? https://www.thelocal.de/20261006/are-the-eus-new-rules-on-ai-enough-to-protect-europeans Tue, 06 Oct 2026 09:08:09 +0200 are-the-eus-new-rules-on-ai-enough-to-protect-europeans Merz insists Baltic defence is Germany's defence, German researchers win Nobel prize in medicine, flight prices from Germany have doubled since 2010 and more news on Tuesday, October 6th. https://www.thelocal.de/20261006/today-in-germany-a-roundup-of-the-latest-news-on-tuesday-143 Tue, 06 Oct 2026 08:33:48 +0200 today-in-germany-a-roundup-of-the-latest-news-on-tuesday-143 Germany's generous parental allowance benefit makes it possible for new parents to take time off work. But the rules for freelancers can be complicated, writes journalist and new mother Imogen Goodman. https://www.thelocal.de/20260605/the-things-i-wish-id-known-about-elterngeld-as-a-freelancer-in-germany Fri, 05 Jun 2026 12:08:35 +0200 the-things-i-wish-id-known-about-elterngeld-as-a-freelancer-in-germany Germany's foreign intelligence chief warned Monday that the country risks being drawn into a conflict with Russia as hybrid attacks ordered by Moscow increase. https://www.thelocal.de/20261005/german-spy-chief-warns-of-escalation-in-russias-shadow-war Mon, 05 Oct 2026 16:06:17 +0200 german-spy-chief-warns-of-escalation-in-russias-shadow-war People who buy an electric car in Germany can benefit from a state-backed subsidy worth thousands of euros. Here's how much you can get, and what you need to apply. https://www.thelocal.de/20260119/how-much-money-you-can-get-towards-buying-an-ev-in-germany-this-year Mon, 19 Jan 2026 17:22:12 +0100 how-much-money-you-can-get-towards-buying-an-ev-in-germany-this-year Millions of renters in Germany could be affected by new heating meter rules from January 2027. Here's how to check whether your building complies and when you could be entitled to a reduction in heating costs. https://www.thelocal.de/20261005/what-tenants-and-landlords-need-to-know-about-germanys-heating-meter-deadline Mon, 05 Oct 2026 13:37:27 +0200 what-tenants-and-landlords-need-to-know-about-germanys-heating-meter-deadline Germany's national railway operator is extending its €99.99 family ticket beyond the summer season, giving eligible groups of up to five people a cheaper way to travel together. https://www.thelocal.de/20261005/deutsch-bahn-makes-its-family-ticket-a-permanent-offer Mon, 05 Oct 2026 10:38:06 +0200 deutsch-bahn-makes-its-family-ticket-a-permanent-offer Ukraine and Germany have signed a $1.5-billion deal to help fight the surge in Russian drone attacks, while fresh strikes and air raid sirens greeted Chancellor Friedrich Merz on a solidarity visit Sunday. https://www.thelocal.de/20261005/russian-strikes-hit-kyiv-while-german-chancellor-merz-visits Mon, 05 Oct 2026 09:05:49 +0200 russian-strikes-hit-kyiv-while-german-chancellor-merz-visits Germany doesn’t just offer dietary advice – it actually publishes ten weekly meal plans designed to show residents how to eat. In the finest traditions of intrepid journalism, The Local's Tom Pugh decided to investigate. https://www.thelocal.de/20260318/what-happened-when-i-ate-like-the-german-government-advises Wed, 18 Mar 2026 12:07:06 +0100 what-happened-when-i-ate-like-the-german-government-advises It's not just for vacations or sick leave: there are many situations in Germany where you can take paid time off. We break them down. https://www.thelocal.de/20191030/sonderurlaub-when-are-you-entitled-to-paid-leave-from-work-in-germany Wed, 30 Oct 2019 09:25:18 +0100 sonderurlaub-when-are-you-entitled-to-paid-leave-from-work-in-germany If you're still getting your head around everything from registering your address in Germany to getting a residence permit to learning the language, here are the basics about what you should know, and a list of articles that may help. https://www.thelocal.de/20260225/the-essential-guide-for-anyone-whos-just-moved-to-germany Wed, 25 Feb 2026 15:14:40 +0100 the-essential-guide-for-anyone-whos-just-moved-to-germany Whether it's just over the border in Denmark or the other side of the world in your home country, for non-Germans getting married is often easier literally anywhere but Germany, writes The Local editor Paul Krantz. https://www.thelocal.de/20261003/inside-germany-why-i-travelled-half-way-around-the-world-to-be-married Sat, 03 Oct 2026 11:39:37 +0200 inside-germany-why-i-travelled-half-way-around-the-world-to-be-married Germany sits dead last in a recent ranking of countries by 'tax optimisation for global citizens', but it's also near the top of the list for quality of life. https://www.thelocal.de/20260929/does-germany-really-have-the-most-punishing-tax-system-for-foreigners Tue, 29 Sep 2026 16:57:10 +0200 does-germany-really-have-the-most-punishing-tax-system-for-foreigners