Germany politics

Germany politics

Members of Germany's Bundestag will convene on Wednesday for their first plenary session following the summer recess. To open proceedings, Federal Minister of Defence Boris Pistorius (SPD) and Federal Minister of Health Nina Warken (CDU) will answer questions from members of the German parliament. Their two ministries are responsible for major federal government projects. Pistorius is leading efforts to strengthen the Bundeswehr, while Warken is tasked with reforming hospitals, health insurance companies, and nursing care.

Like many other NATO and EU members, Germany is ramping up arms production to help Ukraine fight Russia's full-scale invasion in the short term and develop the capabilities necessary to counter any future threats to its security. In pursuit of those aims, Dusseldorf-based defense contractor Rheinmetall on Wednesday opened an arms and explosives manufacturing plant in the German state of Lower Saxony, the largest munitions factory in Europe.

More than half of leading German politicians' work vehicles exceed EU targets for average CO2 emissions, reflecting a broader issue in the auto sector's climate protection efforts.

Pakistan's authorities detained several Afghan refugees in Islamabad, including individuals approved for relocation to Germany. The group includes former local staff and others at risk after the Taliban takeover.

Protesters hoped for real change after 15 years of undemocratic governance, but political instability looms as groups jostle for power and reforms falter.

The leaders said they wanted to deepen Franco-German cooperation "at all levels." Merz emphasized the importance of the close friendship between France and Germany, stating a commitment to enhancing cooperation in the years ahead.

Azizi noted that there has been no indication that Iran has actively taken steps to restart its nuclear program, emphasizing that any decision would be political.

The German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius has cautioned that Europe is facing a growing security threat, and assessments predict Russia could attack a NATO state by 2029.

During the television interview with ARD on Sunday, Alice Weidel, co-leader of the AfD, appeared at times to struggle to hear the questions being asked of her as protesters gathered below the provisional stage for the interview in Berlin. The speakers of a bus used as part of the demonstration blared the anti-AfD song Schei AfD Jodler, which hindered the interview's audio quality significantly for viewers at home.

The Kensington Treaty includes plans for close security and defense cooperation, a mutual assistance clause in crises, and visa simplifications for school exchanges.

According to the Constitutional Court, this was not the case with the drone strikes in Yemen. The court ruled that the US took sufficient account of the protection of civilians in its fight against international terrorism, and referred to 'legitimate military targets.'

The German Federal Constitutional Court ruled that Germany did not violate international law by failing to strictly monitor or prevent US drone attacks carried out with signals from Ramstein air base.

Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt defends the government’s tougher border controls, citing a need to limit immigration and the resulting increase in police work and overtime.

"We should not be talking about more, but about fewer barriers to trade," she told Redaktionsnetzwerk Deutschland.

"We are going to have to send more weapons to Ukraine. Defensive weapons, they have to defend themselves," US President Donald Trump said on Monday, speaking about Ukraine's defence.