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 At the Kottbusser Tor roundabout in Berlin's fashionable Kreuzberg district, 29-year-old Jannick is waiting in line to sign a petition which he says has captured the "zeitgeist" in the German capital. https://www.thelocal.de/20210320/how-berliners-are-plotting-a-radical-expropriation-referendum-to-fight-housing-crisis Sat, 20 Mar 2021 12:54:34 +0100 how-berliners-are-plotting-a-radical-expropriation-referendum-to-fight-housing-crisis A referendum proposal in Bavaria to bring about changes to farming practices has already attracted large crowds in several cities and towns across Germany’s second most-populous state. However it has also attracted some notable criticism, including from the state’s ruling Christian Social Union. https://www.thelocal.de/20190201/bavarian-save-the-bees-petition-attracts-support-criticism-as-registration-begins-across-the-state Fri, 01 Feb 2019 14:57:02 +0100 bavarian-save-the-bees-petition-attracts-support-criticism-as-registration-begins-across-the-state The chances of a second referendum on Brexit are increasing every day, according to Germany’s Justice Minister Katarina Barley, who holds both British and German nationality. https://www.thelocal.de/20190129/second-brexit-referendum-getting-more-likely-germanys-justice-minister Tue, 29 Jan 2019 12:30:15 +0100 second-brexit-referendum-getting-more-likely-germanys-justice-minister Rising rents across Germany - and particularly in the capital Berlin - have priced out even higher earners in some of the city’s more exclusive areas. A radical idea to expropriate apartments owned by large companies is gaining favour across the city, with supporters pushing for a referendum on the issue. https://www.thelocal.de/20190118/berlin-rents-plans-for-a-radical-solution-to-socialise-investor-owned-apartments-gathers-steam Fri, 18 Jan 2019 10:54:42 +0100 berlin-rents-plans-for-a-radical-solution-to-socialise-investor-owned-apartments-gathers-steam The SPD started a membership ballot Tuesday on whether to again govern under Chancellor Angela Merkel's conservatives after an opinion poll showed them trailing the far-right AfD for the first time. https://www.thelocal.de/20180220/crisis-hit-spd-starts-ballot-on-merkel-coalition Tue, 20 Feb 2018 14:52:16 +0100 crisis-hit-spd-starts-ballot-on-merkel-coalition Citizens in the west German city of Duisburg didn’t just vote in the federal election on Sunday, they also voted in a referendum on the building of a designer outlet meant be the largest in Germany. https://www.thelocal.de/20170925/duisburg-residents-vote-against-plans-to-build-germanys-largest-outlet-centre Mon, 25 Sep 2017 12:03:19 +0200 duisburg-residents-vote-against-plans-to-build-germanys-largest-outlet-centre Berliners have voted to keep open the Cold War-era city airport Tegel, threatening political turbulence in the German capital and more trouble for Chancellor Angela Merkel after a bruising election victory. https://www.thelocal.de/20170925/berliners-vote-to-keep-tegel-airport-open Mon, 25 Sep 2017 10:57:55 +0200 berliners-vote-to-keep-tegel-airport-open Berlin's scandal-plagued BER airport project, now delayed five years with no opening date in sight, has become the laughing stock of Germany, but things are about to get more complicated. https://www.thelocal.de/20170913/chaos-at-new-airport-forces-berlin-into-divisive-vote-on-whether-to-keep-cold-war-relic Wed, 13 Sep 2017 12:29:33 +0200 chaos-at-new-airport-forces-berlin-into-divisive-vote-on-whether-to-keep-cold-war-relic A new survey shows more Bavarians than previously thought want their own independent state, separate from Germany. https://www.thelocal.de/20170717/one-in-three-bavarians-want-independence-from-germany-poll-shows-bavaria Mon, 17 Jul 2017 19:10:21 +0200 one-in-three-bavarians-want-independence-from-germany-poll-shows-bavaria Chancellor Angela Merkel on Tuesday ruled out any participation on German soil in a potential Turkish referendum about bringing back the death penalty. https://www.thelocal.de/20170509/merkel-rules-out-turkish-vote-in-germany-on-death-penalty Tue, 09 May 2017 13:26:21 +0200 merkel-rules-out-turkish-vote-in-germany-on-death-penalty If Turkey decides to hold a referendum on reinstating the death penalty, Germany could legally block Turks within its borders from voting, according to an official government assessment. https://www.thelocal.de/20170428/govt-could-block-turks-from-voting-in-germany-on-death-penalty Fri, 28 Apr 2017 18:01:37 +0200 govt-could-block-turks-from-voting-in-germany-on-death-penalty Tensions have been running high between Ankara and Berlin recently, culminating in the Turkish premier accusing the Bundesrepublik of using "Nazi measures". But now Ankara is calling on Germany for economic help. https://www.thelocal.de/20170425/after-nazi-remarks-turkey-says-we-need-germany Tue, 25 Apr 2017 12:39:02 +0200 after-nazi-remarks-turkey-says-we-need-germany Germany on Monday warned Turkey against further distancing itself from Europe by reinstating the death penalty after a disputed referendum and urged authorities to seek "respectful dialogue" to heal a divided society. https://www.thelocal.de/20170418/germany-warns-turkey-not-to-end-the-european-dream Tue, 18 Apr 2017 10:49:03 +0200 germany-warns-turkey-not-to-end-the-european-dream Chancellor Angela Merkel on Wednesday rejected British PM Theresa May's call for negotiations on the UK's exit from the European Union to run in parallel with talks on defining their future relationship. https://www.thelocal.de/20170329/we-must-not-forget-uk-is-still-a-partner-says-germany Wed, 29 Mar 2017 19:19:10 +0200 we-must-not-forget-uk-is-still-a-partner-says-germany Turkish voters in Germany, as deeply split as those in their ancestral homeland, started casting early ballots on Monday in a referendum that could vastly boost President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's powers. https://www.thelocal.de/20170328/turks-in-germany-start-voting-in-erdogan-referendum Tue, 28 Mar 2017 11:01:00 +0200 turks-in-germany-start-voting-in-erdogan-referendum Turkish politicians are using a spate of cancelled rallies in Germany to stir up nationalist feeling ahead of next month's referendum on boosting President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's powers, analysts say. https://www.thelocal.de/20170308/how-turkey-is-using-germany-to-stir-up-nationalism-at-home Wed, 08 Mar 2017 15:38:59 +0100 how-turkey-is-using-germany-to-stir-up-nationalism-at-home Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu asked Berlin not to preach about democracy and human rights amid a mounting row sparked by German cities refusing to allow meetings aimed at gathering votes to extend the Turkish president's powers. https://www.thelocal.de/20170308/definat-turkish-fm-tell-germany-not-to-lecture-in-hamburg-speech Wed, 08 Mar 2017 10:05:19 +0100 definat-turkish-fm-tell-germany-not-to-lecture-in-hamburg-speech Ankara has gone ballistic at Berlin once again, but what is all the fuss about this time? https://www.thelocal.de/20170303/why-turkey-is-so-furious-at-germany-and-not-for-the-first-time Fri, 03 Mar 2017 16:07:55 +0100 why-turkey-is-so-furious-at-germany-and-not-for-the-first-time Germany on Wednesday warned Britain against negotiating free trade deals with non-EU member states before it quits the bloc, after Prime Minister Theresa May sought to drum up commerce agreements during a G20 summit in China. https://www.thelocal.de/20160907/germany-warns-uk-not-to-enter-trade-talks-while-still-in-eu-brexit Wed, 07 Sep 2016 17:28:33 +0200 germany-warns-uk-not-to-enter-trade-talks-while-still-in-eu-brexit Germany and Britain agreed Wednesday that Prime Minister Theresa May needed time to prepare for talks to leave the EU, after London took the first step towards Brexit by giving up its presidency of the European Council. https://www.thelocal.de/20160721/merkel-accepts-britains-decision-to-delay-triggering-brexit Thu, 21 Jul 2016 10:47:30 +0200 merkel-accepts-britains-decision-to-delay-triggering-brexit