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 The Social Democrats gained one in four German votes but it was not the result their candidate, Peer Steinbrück, was hoping for. It was at least better than in 2009 but at 25.7 percent it was still the party’s second worst result since World War Two. https://www.thelocal.de/20130923/52041 Mon, 23 Sep 2013 11:46:00 +0200 52041 Chancellor Angela Merkel and her Social Democrat rival Peer Steinbrück will spend the next few days whizzing through the country in a final attempt to win votes. But they're managing to avoid each other - and sticking to their heartlands. https://www.thelocal.de/20130919/51983 Thu, 19 Sep 2013 10:38:00 +0200 51983 From politicians hoping to win votes through cookery videos, singing in parliament and handing out free toothbrushes while clad in a straw hat, the German election campaign has had some cringeworthy moments. https://www.thelocal.de/20130918/51979 Wed, 18 Sep 2013 16:46:00 +0200 51979 Tax rises, more investment in education, road tolls and foreign policy changes – the outcome of the German election will affect both expats living in Germany and people in other countries. Here we run through seven reasons why. https://www.thelocal.de/20130917/51961 Tue, 17 Sep 2013 17:47:00 +0200 51961 Chancellor Angela Merkel's chief election rival sparked a storm of derision on Friday by allowing himself to be photographed making the middle-finger gesture. But he has defended himself saying the photo showed a "sense of humour". https://www.thelocal.de/20130913/51897 Fri, 13 Sep 2013 14:30:00 +0200 51897 The Local's election guide turns its attentions today to Germany's second biggest party and Chancellor Angela Merkel's main challengers, the Social Democrats (SPD). https://www.thelocal.de/20130911/51863 Wed, 11 Sep 2013 11:38:00 +0200 51863 Police are probing an alleged attempt to blackmail Chancellor Angela Merkel’s election challenger over a cleaner employed 14 years ago. Peer Steinbrück claimed the attempted blackmail was not a dirty election trick, two weeks before the polls. https://www.thelocal.de/20130909/51817 Mon, 09 Sep 2013 11:02:00 +0200 51817 Chancellor Angela Merkel and her challenger Peer Steinbrück talked themselves to a draw in the only television debate of the German elections, with early polls failing to declare a clear winner. https://www.thelocal.de/20130902/51699 Mon, 02 Sep 2013 10:45:00 +0200 51699 Social Democrat chancellor candidate Peer Steinbrück has gained ground in his battle to overcome Angela Merkel's commanding lead in popularity, but is still trailing way behind her, new polls suggest. https://www.thelocal.de/20130830/51679 Fri, 30 Aug 2013 12:24:00 +0200 51679 German workers pay among the highest tax rates in the world and depending on the outcome of the elections on September 22nd, they could get even higher. https://www.thelocal.de/20130823/51555 Fri, 23 Aug 2013 12:41:00 +0200 51555 The leader of Germany’s main opposition party has published files kept on him by East Germany’s former secret police the Stasi. https://www.thelocal.de/20130823/51551 Fri, 23 Aug 2013 11:03:00 +0200 51551 Fairytales? Cake? Veggie Days? This is the most boring German election since 1949, argues Michael Wohlgemuth, a professor of economics, long-time election watcher, and director of thinktank Open Europe Berlin. https://www.thelocal.de/20130820/51487 Tue, 20 Aug 2013 14:08:00 +0200 51487 Central Berlin will be turned into a huge celebration of the Social Democratic Party (SPD) this weekend, with the famous Strasse des 17. Juni closed to traffic and crammed with beer and sausage stands and live music to mark the party's 150th anniversary. https://www.thelocal.de/20130816/51443 Fri, 16 Aug 2013 17:40:00 +0200 51443 Germany's general election may be looming, but it hasn't stopped the country's politicians heading off on their summer breaks in the middle of a campaign. https://www.thelocal.de/20130809/51327 Fri, 09 Aug 2013 18:08:00 +0200 51327 Chancellor Angela Merkel's conservatives and their coalition partners are set to win enough votes to continue to govern Germany after the general elections in seven weeks' time, a poll said Thursday. https://www.thelocal.de/20130802/51181 Fri, 02 Aug 2013 10:21:00 +0200 51181 Burdened by dismal poll ratings and a gaffe-prone candidate, Germany's centre-left Social Democrats will try to re-energise their campaign against popular Chancellor Angela Merkel on Sunday. https://www.thelocal.de/20130414/49131 Sun, 14 Apr 2013 09:31:00 +0200 49131 Chancellor Angela Merkel's coalition government is doing better in polls than it has done for more than three years, with less than six months to go before the general election, a survey published on Wednesday showed. https://www.thelocal.de/20130410/49053 Wed, 10 Apr 2013 16:23:00 +0200 49053 Just days after Germany's main opposition party unveiled its manifesto for September's general election, its popularity slumped to its lowest ebb since June 2011, a poll showed on Thursday. https://www.thelocal.de/20130315/48545 Fri, 15 Mar 2013 08:57:00 +0100 48545 The Social Democrat who is challenging Chancellor Angela Merkel in this year's election has been snubbed by Italian president who has cancelled a planned meeting after he called two of the candidates in Italian elections "clowns." https://www.thelocal.de/20130227/48235 Wed, 27 Feb 2013 16:54:00 +0100 48235 Chancellor Angela Merkel's rival Peer Steinbrück, kicked off on Sunday his bid to topple her in next year's election, pledging social equality and a clear pro-European policy. https://www.thelocal.de/20121209/46651 Sun, 09 Dec 2012 10:53:00 +0100 46651