Paul Kirby Europe digital editor in Berlin BBC’s Nick Beake reports from AfD headquarters in Berlin Friedrich Merz’s conservatives have won, but Germany’s 2025 election has thrown up some important and fascinating stories that reveal a country in flux. Alternative for Germany, or AfD, has doubled its support in just four years to 20.8%, and…
Paul Kirby Europe digital editor in Berlin BBC’s Nick Beake reports from AfD headquarters in Berlin Friedrich Merz’s conservatives have won, but Germany’s 2025 election has thrown up some important and fascinating stories that reveal a country in flux. Alternative for Germany, or AfD, has doubled its support in just four years to 20.8%, and…
The evening sun shines on the Reichstag building of the German Bundestag with the inscription “Dem Deutschen Volke. Fabian Sommer | Picture Alliance | Getty Images BERLIN — The Christian Democratic Union and the allied Christian Social Union secured the largest share of votes in the German federal election on Sunday, according to exit polls…
Birkenstocks may be cool enough for Barbie but the sandals do not qualify as works of art, a German court has ruled. The company had claimed its footwear could be classified as art and so was protected by copyright laws in a case it put forward to stop rivals selling copycat versions of the cork-soled…
Given the profile of the man accused in the suspected car-ramming attack in Munich, the incident will undoubtedly have an impact on Germany’s parliamentary election in ten days. Farhad N, 24, came to Germany in 2016 from Afghanistan to seek asylum, which was rejected but he was given temporary permission to stay in Germany. For…
Customers waiting at the checkout in a supermarket. Markus Scholz | Picture Alliance | Getty Images German inflation was unchanged year-on-year at 2.8% in January, preliminary data from the country’s statistics office Destatis showed Friday in the last reading before Germans head to the polls next month. The reading was also in line with a…
The man tipped to be Germany’s next leader could rely on support from the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party for the second time in a week, a move that has been widely condemned. Friedrich Merz, the leader of the conservative CDU party, may need AfD votes to pass legislation toughening immigration laws. Former chancellor…
The Frankfurt skyline at dusk on a November day. Helmut Fricke | Picture Alliance | Getty Images The German economy shrank by 0.2% quarter-on-quarter in the three months ending in December, according to preliminary data released by Germany’s statistics office Destatis on Thursday. The figure is adjusted for price, calendar and seasonal variations. Analysts polled…
Germany’s parliament descended into heckles and recriminations on Wednesday after a “firewall” against working with the far-right cracked. A non-binding motion calling for tougher border and asylum rules passed with support from the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD). During the stormy session, politicians of various parties hurled criticism and blame at each other. Conservative CDU…
Jessica Parker & Paul Kirby Berlin correspondent & Europe digital editor Reuters A wreath was laid at the park in Aschaffenburg a day after the deadly attack The conservative opposition leader tipped to lead Germany following next month’s elections has promised far-reaching changes to border and asylum rules after a group of children were targeted…
