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Merz Cancels UN Trip Amid German Political Pressure — 8hMerz cancels his Sept. 22 U.N. trip as a GMS poll puts AfD at 30% to CDU/CSU’s 20%; CDU also risks missing the 5% threshold in a state vote.

Chris Dalton Wadephul can handle the UN speech but this shows how much the CDU fears losing ground domestically right now.

German Firms Lift China Investment by One-Third as US Outlays Fall — 2dGerman investment in China rose about one-third in H1 2026 as US outlays fell 65% to €4.3 billion; IW’s Matthes said firms “have almost no choice but to continue investing in China.”

Derek Foss German companies are smart to diversify away from US tariffs by boosting China investments this much.

German chancellor accuses far-right AfD party of seeking ‘ethnic cleansing’ — 6d

Derek Foss Calling it ethnic cleansing inflates the term and avoids debating AfD's actual platform on asylum rules and crime statistics.

AfD Advances in German State Votes Increase Pressure on MerzWorld — Sep 8, 2026

Poland voices concern after far-right AfD gains in German election — Sep 8, 2026

OpenAI agents used German wiki site as message boardBusiness — Sep 7, 2026

German vote shows rise of far right in Europe, but it hasn’t been a steady marchWorld — Sep 8, 2026

AfD wins key German state as Merz says result changes everything5 sources — Sep 8, 2026

German chancellor vows to stay in office despite AfD triumph in state election — Sep 8, 2026

Merz vows to continue reforms after far-right German state election win8 sources — Sep 8, 2026

The Kindness of the People of Le Mans to POWsGood News — FROM 1945French villagers feed German prisoners after liberation

Report Puts Volkswagen Restructuring Cost at €16 Billion — 5dVolkswagen’s restructuring is poised to cost about €16 billion ($18.6 billion), covering job cuts worldwide and possible plant closures or model phase-outs at four German facilities as part of its largest-ever overhaul. The plan targets up to 60,000 further jobs worldwide and throttling back production at Emden, Zwickau, Neckarsulm, and Hanover to sharpen efficiency amid fierce competition from China, tariffs, and overcapacity.

Elena Vasquez Closing or scaling back four German plants shows how serious the overcapacity problem has become for the whole industry.

German Cup first round faces nationwide VAR protests — Aug 20, 2026Fan groups from across German clubs are planning protests against VAR, arguing it saps emotion and demanding its abolition. The German Cup’s first round will proceed without VAR, with the technology reinstated from the second round as Eintracht Frankfurt and Stuttgart feature prominently.

Volkswagen weighs turnaround plan amid 50,000 job cuts — Aug 29, 2026Volkswagen is negotiating a turnaround that could involve up to 50,000 job losses, with tensions rising among management, unions, and state owners ahead of a September 4 supervisory board meeting. German state leaders Olaf Lies and Michael Kretschmer are urging a swift, balanced agreement to protect German production and workers, including at sites like the Zwickau EV plant, amid tariffs, weak demand, and rising Chinese competition.

German Consumer Confidence Rises to -26.6 as Spending Remains ReluctantFinance — Aug 27, 2026German consumer confidence improved notably in September, with GfK readings around -26.6, supported by a rebound in income and economic expectations, though willingness to spend remains subdued and savings appetite stays elevated. Analysts warn the recovery is fragile and consumption may lag until higher confidence translates into stronger purchases amid persistent inflation and macro headwinds.

Russia shuts German consulate and cultural centers amid drone attack dispute — Sep 7, 2026Russia has ordered the closure of Germany’s consulate in St. Petersburg by September 18 as a tit-for-tat response to Germany shuttering Russia’s consulates and cultural centers in Bonn and Berlin, signaling a deepening bilateral crisis amid the war in Ukraine. The move follows Berlin’s accusations of a drone attack at Leipzig/Halle and comes with Moscow and Berlin trading blame and warnings of high-stakes escalation, marking a new low in their relations as both sides publicly hold the other responsible.

Maya Lindstrom Diplomatic tit-for-tat rarely fixes anything, but it shows just how frozen these relations have become.

Eight Injured as German School Coach Crashes into Delivery Van on Dutch A28 near Wezep — Aug 24, 2026A coach carrying more than 50 German high-school students collided with a delivery van near Wezep in Gelderland, injuring eight people, including the van's driver, with several seriously injured. The A28 motorway was closed in both directions as emergency services responded.

German Government Reportedly Concealed Intel That Wuhan Lab Leak Was ’80 to 95%’ Likely — Mar 12, 2025The German government for years concealed an assessment by its Foreign Intelligence Service that a lab origin of COVID-19 was overwhelmingly likely, according to a Tuesday investigative report by two German newspapers…

Americans Gain Ground in Southern Europe TourismTravel — Sep 5, 2026Across Spain, Greece, and Portugal, American travelers are reshaping tourism: in Spain the American visitor count rose to 4.2 million in 2024 and nears 5 million by 2025, while Greek data show Americans spend the most per trip though Germans generate the most revenue due to volume. Portugal likewise attracts Americans seeking a European lifestyle, with broader residency options attracting longer stays.

German industrial output posts steepest drop in a year amid auto slump — Sep 7, 2026Germany’s industrial production declined 1.1% month-on-month in July, led by a 9.2% drop in automobile output due to multi-week production pauses, while energy generation rose and other manufacturing categories eased; year-on-year, output fell about 1.6%. The May–July period shows a marginal three-month uptick in activity and orders rose in July, underscoring a mixed trajectory as markets weigh ECB policy and broader demand.

Marcus Bell Auto sector production pauses dragging everything down again, but orders rising in July is a decent sign for autumn.

Russia and North Korea open first road bridge over Tumen River — Sep 7, 2026Russia and North Korea opened the first border bridge while Moscow ordered the closure of the German consulate and cultural centers, and Tanzania announced the death of President Samia Suluhu Hassan’s husband. Meanwhile, a Australian study finds teens are consuming less news, Gloria Steinem's death prompts mixed reactions, Buddy Holly’s legacy is highlighted on his birth anniversary, and in Georgia authorities pursue pre-trial detention of an animal rights defender amid security services’ actions against others.

Jared Kim Interesting timing, opening this bridge while so many other diplomatic doors are slamming shut elsewhere.

ChatGPTDeutsch.info expands German-language AI platform, no-registration browser access — Jul 24, 2026ChatGPTDeutsch.info announced an expanded German-language AI platform that offers a registration-free browser chat, image and file tools, model comparisons, and practical guides, uniting chat, instructions, and independent content for German-speaking users. The update features a no-account start, German prompts, optional images/files as context, selectable answer modes and models, a full-screen workspace, safety-focused explanations, and editorial content on prompts and usage.

British woman stabbed at Rosenheim station; suspect detained — Aug 30, 2026A British woman, 31, was stabbed at Rosenheim railway station in Bavaria and died in hospital, with a 27-year-old German man arrested at the scene as the investigation continues. Police say the motive is unclear and are seeking witnesses as the probe into the fatal attack unfolds.

Volkswagen approves plan to cut 50,000 jobs and halve its lineup, plants’ fate unclear — Sep 3, 2026Volkswagen’s supervisory board has approved Future Plan 2030, a sweeping restructuring that aims to cut about 50,000 jobs, halve its model lineup, and wind down production at four German plants between 2031 and 2034 to address overcapacity. The plan carries up to €10 billion in costs, contemplates alternative uses for the affected plants, and signals a governance shift for the board as stakeholders seek to protect jobs while Bolstering global competitiveness.

Tom Gallagher Halving the lineup makes sense honestly, VW's had way too much overlap between brands for years. The job losses are the brutal part though.

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AfD's Saxony-Anhalt election win shakes German politics