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 In Zehdenick, a small town near Berlin, nearly 60 percent of voters backed the Alternative for Germany party’s candidate. https://www.thelocal.de/20260511/far-right-afd-wins-first-ever-mayoral-election-in-brandenburg Mon, 11 May 2026 12:00:14 +0200 far-right-afd-wins-first-ever-mayoral-election-in-brandenburg After Putin said that the war in Ukraine is 'heading toward an end', he added that he'd like a long-gone German ex-chancellor to mediate the peace talks. https://www.thelocal.de/20260511/berlin-sceptical-as-putin-floats-ex-german-chancellor-as-ukraine-mediator Mon, 11 May 2026 08:39:53 +0200 berlin-sceptical-as-putin-floats-ex-german-chancellor-as-ukraine-mediator From next year, students will have to listen to at least two anthems at graduation ceremonies in Bavaria. The new rule shines a spotlight on Germany’s regional anthems – where history, identity and the occasional awkward lyric meet. https://www.thelocal.de/20260507/wanke-nicht-mein-vaterland-germanys-state-anthems-explained Thu, 07 May 2026 15:25:09 +0200 wanke-nicht-mein-vaterland-germanys-state-anthems-explained An environmental advocacy group is taking the German government back to court over "inadequate" climate action plans, the group announced Thursday. https://www.thelocal.de/20260507/environmental-group-challenges-germanys-climate-plan-in-court Thu, 07 May 2026 11:21:07 +0200 environmental-group-challenges-germanys-climate-plan-in-court The US has given the European Union an ultimatum - grant access to sensitive police data or else lose access to visa-free travel for EU citizens. https://www.thelocal.de/20260506/us-threatens-to-scrap-eu-visa-waivers-over-data-sharing-demands Wed, 06 May 2026 12:42:51 +0200 us-threatens-to-scrap-eu-visa-waivers-over-data-sharing-demands Low approval ratings, an uneasy coalition and growing frustration among voters are clouding Friedrich Merz’s first anniversary as Germany’s chancellor. https://www.thelocal.de/20260505/merz-faces-mounting-doubts-as-he-marks-one-year-as-german-leader Tue, 05 May 2026 14:35:58 +0200 merz-faces-mounting-doubts-as-he-marks-one-year-as-german-leader With net immigration to Germany falling, Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt says his tough approach has delivered results. But others say that migration has slowed for other reasons, and warn that his tactics are creating new problems. https://www.thelocal.de/20260505/what-is-germanys-migration-turnaround-actually-achieving Tue, 05 May 2026 10:02:35 +0200 what-is-germanys-migration-turnaround-actually-achieving German Chancellor Friedrich Merz took office a year ago vowing to revive the political centre, but the far-right AfD party has risen to the top of the polls while his own coalition's popularity is falling. https://www.thelocal.de/20260504/a-year-into-merz-government-german-far-right-stronger-than-ever Mon, 04 May 2026 16:47:43 +0200 a-year-into-merz-government-german-far-right-stronger-than-ever The US is set to cut thousands of troops from Germany, with Donald Trump warning that more reductions may follow. We look at who the American forces here are, what they do and what could happen next. https://www.thelocal.de/20260504/how-many-us-troops-serve-in-germany-and-what-happens-if-they-go Mon, 04 May 2026 14:42:03 +0200 how-many-us-troops-serve-in-germany-and-what-happens-if-they-go German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said Sunday he would not give up on working with US President Donald Trump, despite a spat between the leaders over the war in Iran. https://www.thelocal.de/20260504/germanys-merz-says-not-giving-up-on-working-with-donald-trump Mon, 04 May 2026 08:49:40 +0200 germanys-merz-says-not-giving-up-on-working-with-donald-trump The federal cabinet has approved sweeping health reforms aimed at saving billions. From higher medication costs to changes for families and a new sugar tax, the impact for German residents could be significant. https://www.thelocal.de/20260429/germanys-federal-cabinet-approves-health-reform-package Wed, 29 Apr 2026 13:26:23 +0200 germanys-federal-cabinet-approves-health-reform-package Germany said Thursday it was "prepared" for a possible reduction in US troops threatened by President Donald Trump, who kept up his barrage of attacks on Chancellor Friedrich Merz. https://www.thelocal.de/20260501/germany-says-prepared-for-any-us-troop-reduction Fri, 01 May 2026 08:46:53 +0200 germany-says-prepared-for-any-us-troop-reduction Germany said Thursday it was "prepared" for a possible reduction in US troops threatened by President Donald Trump, while also stressing the importance of a "reliable transatlantic partnership". https://www.thelocal.de/20260430/germany-says-it-is-prepared-for-any-reduction-in-us-troops Thu, 30 Apr 2026 16:32:34 +0200 germany-says-it-is-prepared-for-any-reduction-in-us-troops The majority of refugees who come to Germany each year come from war zones, such as from Syria around 2015 or Ukraine since 2022. So why do a number of US citizens also submit applications for asylum each year? https://www.thelocal.de/20260429/why-do-some-us-citizens-seek-asylum-in-germany Wed, 29 Apr 2026 16:21:54 +0200 why-do-some-us-citizens-seek-asylum-in-germany Germany is planning new rules to rein in high rents on furnished apartments, limit short‑term leases and cap inflation‑linked rent increases. https://www.thelocal.de/20260429/germanys-plan-to-crack-down-on-high-rents-for-furnished-short-term-flats Wed, 29 Apr 2026 16:10:34 +0200 germanys-plan-to-crack-down-on-high-rents-for-furnished-short-term-flats Germany is set to continue taking on huge amounts of new debt each year for the foreseeable future as it continues to ramp up spending on defence and infrastructure. Meanwhile residents can expect a few new and increased consumption taxes. https://www.thelocal.de/20260429/more-debt-new-taxes-what-is-in-germanys-budget-plan-for-2027 Wed, 29 Apr 2026 10:41:14 +0200 more-debt-new-taxes-what-is-in-germanys-budget-plan-for-2027 Signal, an end-to-end encrypted messaging app long considered one of the most secure in the world, has recently faced attacks from hackers accused of links to Russia. https://www.thelocal.de/20260426/as-phishing-attacks-hit-germany-how-secure-is-signal-messenging-app Sun, 26 Apr 2026 13:23:33 +0200 as-phishing-attacks-hit-germany-how-secure-is-signal-messenging-app Top officials in the German government on Saturday blamed Russia for repeated phishing attacks targeting lawmakers and senior administration officials using the Signal messaging app. https://www.thelocal.de/20260426/germany-blames-russia-for-signal-phishing-attacks-on-mps Sun, 26 Apr 2026 09:40:10 +0200 germany-blames-russia-for-signal-phishing-attacks-on-mps German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said Friday there was no prospect of Ukraine's "immediate accession" to the EU, but suggested Kyiv could join meetings of the bloc's members without voting rights. https://www.thelocal.de/20260425/merz-says-no-immediate-ukraine-eu-membership-floats-kyiv-joining-meetings Sat, 25 Apr 2026 15:13:53 +0200 merz-says-no-immediate-ukraine-eu-membership-floats-kyiv-joining-meetings German prosecutors Friday launched a spying investigation into phishing attacks targeting lawmakers on the Signal messaging app, with an MP saying the latest Russia-directed plot against Germany was a "wake-up call". https://www.thelocal.de/20260425/germany-launches-spying-probe-into-signal-attacks-targeting-mps Sat, 25 Apr 2026 10:23:17 +0200 germany-launches-spying-probe-into-signal-attacks-targeting-mps