Bundestag President Julia Klockner, of the center-right Christian Democrats (CDU), recently implied that Germany had become the "brothel of Europe" reigniting the national debate about sex work. In a speech read out at an award ceremony on Tuesday, Klockner criticized Germany's current legislation, saying sex workers are not adequately protected. "I am firmly convinced that we must finally ban prostitution and the purchase of sex in this country," the conservative Klockner said.
The world of social media is flashy and fast-paced: those who stand out rise to the top with their ballrooms, space rockets, and chainsaws, dominating the headlines. The researchers for Germany's "Mitte Studie" ("Center Study"), however, turn their attention away from the dazzling personalities and the fringes, to examine those who form the backbone of a democratic and open society, looking at their attitudes toward right-wing extremism, xenophobia and antisemitism.
We must a sober look at the reality in order to choose the right path for our country, he says. He stresses that our freedom is under threat with growing sense of insecurity, with Germany's economic model also under pressure from a new form of protectionism. He also warns against political forces at home and abroad questioning social cohesion and undermining German democracy.
Voters in North Rhine-Westphalia headed to the polls on Sunday for municipal elections across the state. The poll is the first local election since Chancellor Friedrich Merz took office in May. The vote seen as a gauge of Merz's coalition government, which is made up of his conservative CDU/CSU alliance and the center-left SPD. The performance of the Alternative for Germany (AfD) which has been classified as "right-wing extremist" by the country's domestic intelligence agency, is a key factor for assessing Germany's political climate.
Stephan Brandner, parliamentary whip for the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD), criticized the number of staff for ex-chancellor Olaf Scholz, questioning the necessity of eight employees.
Germany's economic growth forecasts are negatively impacted by US tariffs, while diplomatic efforts among European leaders to pressure Russia regarding Ukraine show limited success in achieving a truce.