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Which countries fared best against disinformation during major 2024 election year?<\/a><\/li><li class=\"c-widget-related__item\"><a class=\"c-widget-related__article\" href=https://www.euronews.com/"https:////www.euronews.com//2025//01//22//russias-disinformation-operations-resurface-ahead-of-german-election/">Russia/u2019s disinformation operations resurface ahead of German election<\/a><\/li>\n <\/ul>\n<\/div>\n\n\nLast month, Polish Deputy Prime Minister Krzysztof Gawkowski said Warsaw had uncovered an unnamed Russian group that has planned to use disinformation to influence elections by recruiting Poles on the dark web to do its bidding. <\/p>\nRomania also annulled its presidential election just last December after it accused Russia of interfering.<\/p>\nAccording to von Notz, Russia, China and other authoritarian states have been zeroing in on Germany with their malign interference campaigns, especially in the context of elections.<\/p>\nVarious attack scenarios are possible, he believes.<\/p>\n\"It is absolutely clear that our security authorities in particular must be very attentive. But citizens are also called upon to be aware of how much disinformation is deliberately circulated, especially around the election date,\" Von Notz concludes.<\/p>\nEuronews has reached out to the Russian embassy in Berlin for comment, but has received no response at the time of publication. <\/p>\n","hashtag":null,"createdAt":1738324454,"updatedAt":1738673352,"publishedAt":1738562930,"firstPublishedAt":1738562930,"lastPublishedAt":1738673352,"expiresAt":0,"images":[{"sourceUrl":null,"sourceCredit":null,"callToActionUrl":null,"captionCredit":"AP Photo\/Matthias Schrader","altText":"A damaged election poster showing German Chancellor Olaf Scholz is displayed on a road in Wernigerode, 26 January 2025","callToActionText":null,"width":1920,"caption":"A damaged election poster showing German Chancellor Olaf Scholz is displayed on a road in Wernigerode, 26 January 2025","url":"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/01\/99\/60\/{{w}}x{{h}}_cmsv2_df7fb9bc-8758-5eaf-930d-837395c39201-9019960.jpg","captionUrl":null,"height":1080}],"authors":{"journalists":[{"urlSafeValue":"stroud","twitter":"@livstroud","id":2904,"title":"Liv Stroud"}],"producers":[],"videoEditor":[]},"keywords":[{"urlSafeValue":"berlin","titleRaw":"Berlin","id":1734,"title":"Berlin","slug":"berlin"},{"urlSafeValue":"germany","titleRaw":"Germany","id":125,"title":"Germany","slug":"germany"},{"urlSafeValue":"german-election-2025","titleRaw":"German election 2025","id":30264,"title":"German election 2025","slug":"german-election-2025"}],"widgets":[{"count":1,"slug":"related"}],"related":[{"id":2689610},{"id":2745490},{"id":2745516}],"technicalTags":[],"externalPartners":{"youtubeId":"Y1ufpngU0II","dailymotionId":"x9dg1f0"},"hasExternalVideo":1,"hasInternalOrExternalVideo":1,"video":1,"videos":[{"duration":152000,"editor":"","filesizeBytes":19660649,"format":"mp4","type":"normal","url":"https:\/\/video.euronews.com\/mp4\/med\/EN\/E3\/SU\/25\/02\/03\/en\/250203_E3SU_57650125_57650183_152000_234701_en.mp4","expiresAt":0,"quality":"md"},{"duration":152000,"editor":"","filesizeBytes":29561193,"format":"mp4","type":"normal","url":"https:\/\/video.euronews.com\/mp4\/EN\/E3\/SU\/25\/02\/03\/en\/250203_E3SU_57650125_57650183_152000_234701_en.mp4","expiresAt":0,"quality":"hd"}],"liveStream":[{"endDate":0,"startDate":0}],"scribbleLiveId":0,"scribbleLiveRibbon":0,"isLiveCoverage":0,"sourceId":1,"sources":[],"externalSource":null,"additionalSources":null,"additionalReporting":null,"freeField1":null,"freeField2":"","type":"normal","displayType":"default","program":{"id":"europe-news","urlSafeValue":"europe-news","title":"Europe News","online":1,"url":"https:\/\/www.euronews.com\/my-europe\/europe-news\/europe-news"},"vertical":"my-europe","verticals":[{"urlSafeValue":"my-europe","id":2,"title":"Europe","slug":"my-europe"}],"primaryVertical":{"id":2,"slug":"my-europe","urlSafeValue":"my-europe","title":"Europe"},"themes":[{"urlSafeValue":"europe-news","id":"europe-news","title":"Europe News","url":"\/my-europe\/europe-news"}],"primaryTheme":{"id":56,"urlSafeValue":"europe-news","title":"Europe News"},"advertising":0,"advertisingData":{"startDate":0,"endDate":0,"type":null,"slug":null,"title":null,"disclaimerLabelKey":null,"sponsor":null,"sponsorName":null,"sponsorUrl":null,"sponsorLogo":"","sponsorLogoReverse":"","isDfp":0},"geoLocation":{"lat":0,"lon":0},"location":1,"continent":{"id":104,"urlSafeValue":"europe","title":"Europe"},"country":{"id":125,"urlSafeValue":"germany","title":"Germany","url":"\/news\/europe\/germany"},"town":[],"contextualSignals":{"doubleVerify":{"ids":["80023001","84111001","84112001","84211001","84212001","84241001","84242001"],"slugs":["aggregated_all_moderate_content","law_government_and_politics","law_government_and_politics_general","society","society_general","technology_and_computing","technology_and_computing_general"]}},"grapeshot":null,"versions":[],"programDeliverable":{"slug":"sujet","format":"default"},"showOpinionDisclaimer":0,"allViews":0,"allViewsMeta":{"pointOfView":[],"survey":[],"tweetId":0,"tweet2NdId":0,"displayOverlay":0},"storyTranslationMethod":[],"localisation":[],"path":"\/my-europe\/2025\/02\/03\/russian-disinformation-could-poison-upcoming-election-german-mps-warn","lastModified":1738673352},{"id":2744968,"cid":9023856,"versionId":3,"archive":0,"housenumber":"250202_E3SU_57663632","owner":"euronews","isMagazine":0,"isBreakingNews":0,"daletEventName":"GERMANY SUNDAY PROTESTS","channels":[{"id":1},{"id":2},{"id":4},{"id":5},{"id":10},{"id":12},{"id":14}],"status":2,"title":" Preserving the firewall: 160,000 demonstrate in Berlin against Friedrich Merz","titleSeo":null,"titleListing1":"Berlin: 160,000 demonstrate against Friedrich Merz and the AfD","titleListing2":" Preserving the firewall: 160,000 demonstrate in Berlin against Friedrich Merz","leadin":"Tens of thousands protest against Friedrich Merz and his Christian Democrats: Merz had presented parliament with proposals for strict new immigration rules, which were supported by the partly far-right AfD.","summary":"Tens of thousands protest against Friedrich Merz and his Christian Democrats: Merz had presented parliament with proposals for strict new immigration rules, which were supported by the partly far-right AfD.","keySentence":"","url":"preserving-the-firewall-160000-demonstrate-in-berlin-against-friedrich-merz","canonical":"https:\/\/www.euronews.com\/my-europe\/2025\/02\/02\/preserving-the-firewall-160000-demonstrate-in-berlin-against-friedrich-merz","masterCms":"v2","plainText":"Before the Bundestag elections on 25 February tens of thousands protest against CDU lead candidate Friedrich Merz across Germany\n\nOver the weekend, tens of thousands of people took to the streets across Germany to protest against center-right politician and CDU lead candidate Friedrich Merz. In Berlin alone, an estimated 160,000 demonstrators gathered in front of the Reichstag on Sunday morning, according to police reports.\n\nMerz had presented parliament with proposals for stricter immigration policies, which were supported by the far-right AfD in parts.\n\nAngry protesters in Hamburg, Munich, Cologne, and Leipzig accused Merz and his Christian Democrats of breaking Germany\u2019s long-standing commitment\u2014upheld by all democratic parties\u2014not to pass legislation in parliament with the support of far-right and nationalist parties.\n\nControversial motion narrowly passes with AfD support\n\nOn Wednesday, Merz introduced a non-binding motion in parliament, calling for Germany to turn away significantly more migrants at its borders. The motion was narrowly approved, thanks to backing from the AfD.\n\nThe AfD first entered the Bundestag in 2017, gaining traction after then-Chancellor Angela Merkel\u2019s decision two years earlier to welcome a large influx of migrants into the country.\n\nA year ago, hundreds of thousands protested in weeks-long demonstrations across Germany against the rise of the far right and alleged plans to deport millions of immigrants, including some with German citizenship.\n\nCan a hardline migration policy secure election victory?\n\nMerz has sought to position his center-right alliance\u2014which includes the Bavaria-based CSU\u2014as tough on irregular migration.\n\nHowever, on Friday, the Bundestag narrowly rejected a draft law calling for stricter immigration regulations. If passed, it would have marked the first time a law was approved with the backing of the right-wing AfD. Despite its failure, the bill has ignited controversy over Merz\u2019s stance on potential collaboration with the far right.\n\nMerz accused of undermining the firewall against the AfD\n\nDemonstrators and left-wing politicians have accused Merz of breaking a political taboo and weakening the so-called \"firewall\" that mainstream parties have maintained against the AfD. Merz, however, insists that his stance remains unchanged and that he has neither collaborated with the AfD nor intends to.\n\nProtests sscalate: offices blocked, thousands march in Berlin\n\nHundreds of demonstrators temporarily blocked CDU offices in multiple cities, while up to 20,000 people joined a mass rally in Berlin on Sunday afternoon.\n\nIn Cologne, protesters staged a demonstration on the Rhine, with 350 boats forming a symbolic blockade in front of the city's iconic cathedral. Demonstrators held banners reading \"No Racism\" and \"For Democracy and Diversity,\" according to the German news agency dpa.\n\nCan Merz kill two birds with one stone?\n\nPolls indicate that Merz\u2019s center-right bloc, which has championed the migration proposal, leads with around 30% of the vote, while the AfD follows at approximately 20%. The Social Democrats (SPD) and Greens trail further behind.\n\nMerz appears to be betting that his hardline stance on migration will help his party gain support by demonstrating a firm commitment to stricter border controls.\n\nBy taking this approach, he hopes to achieve two goals: weaken the appeal of the anti-immigration AfD while portraying the ruling coalition\u2014who claim to have already taken significant action on migration\u2014as out of touch with public concerns.\n\nBut will this strategy truly diminish the AfD\u2019s influence, or will it ultimately push Merz toward further cooperation with the far right, thereby dismantling the firewall altogether?\n\n","htmlText":"Before the Bundestag elections on 25 February tens of thousands protest against CDU lead candidate Friedrich Merz across Germany<\/p>\nOver the weekend, tens of thousands of people took to the streets across Germany to protest against center-right politician and CDU lead candidate Friedrich Merz. In Berlin alone, an estimated 160,000 demonstrators gathered in front of the Reichstag on Sunday morning, according to police reports.<\/p>\nMerz had presented parliament with proposals for stricter immigration policies, which were supported by the far-right AfD in parts.<\/p>\nAngry protesters in Hamburg, Munich, Cologne, and Leipzig accused Merz and his Christian Democrats of breaking Germany\u2019s long-standing commitment\u2014upheld by all democratic parties\u2014not to pass legislation in parliament with the support of far-right and nationalist parties.<\/p>\n<div class=\"c-widget-related\" data-stories-id=\"9016380\" data-event=\"widget_related\">\n <div class=\"c-widget-related__title\">\n Related<\/b>\n <\/div>\n <ul class=\"c-widget-related__list\">\n <li class=\"c-widget-related__item\"><a class=\"c-widget-related__article\" href=https://www.euronews.com/"https:////www.euronews.com//my-europe//2025//01//30//merkel-criticises-merz-for-teaming-up-with-germanys-far-right-on-migration-vote/">Merkel criticises Merz for teaming up with Germany's far-right on migration vote<\/a><\/li>\n <\/ul>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<h3>Controversial motion narrowly passes with AfD support<\/h3>On Wednesday, Merz introduced a non-binding motion in parliament, calling for Germany to turn away significantly more migrants at its borders. The motion was narrowly approved, thanks to backing from the AfD.<\/p>\nThe AfD first entered the Bundestag in 2017, gaining traction after then-Chancellor Angela Merkel\u2019s decision two years earlier to welcome a large influx of migrants into the country.<\/p>\nA year ago, hundreds of thousands protested in weeks-long demonstrations across Germany against the rise of the far right and alleged plans to deport millions of immigrants, including some with German citizenship.<\/p>\n<h3>Can a hardline migration policy secure election victory?<\/h3>Merz has sought to position his center-right alliance\u2014which includes the Bavaria-based CSU\u2014as tough on irregular migration.<\/p>\nHowever, on Friday, the Bundestag narrowly rejected a draft law calling for stricter immigration regulations. If passed, it would have marked the first time a law was approved with the backing of the right-wing AfD. Despite its failure, the bill has ignited controversy over Merz\u2019s stance on potential collaboration with the far right.<\/p>\n<h3>Merz accused of undermining the firewall against the AfD<\/h3>Demonstrators and left-wing politicians have accused Merz of breaking a political taboo and weakening the so-called \"firewall\" that mainstream parties have maintained against the AfD. Merz, however, insists that his stance remains unchanged and that he has neither collaborated with the AfD nor intends to.<\/p>\n<h3>Protests sscalate: offices blocked, thousands march in Berlin<\/h3>Hundreds of demonstrators temporarily blocked CDU offices in multiple cities, while up to 20,000 people joined a mass rally in Berlin on Sunday afternoon.<\/p>\nIn Cologne, protesters staged a demonstration on the Rhine, with 350 boats forming a symbolic blockade in front of the city's iconic cathedral. Demonstrators held banners reading \"No Racism\" and \"For Democracy and Diversity,\" according to the German news agency dpa.<\/p>\n<h3>Can Merz kill two birds with one stone?<\/h3>Polls indicate that Merz\u2019s center-right bloc, which has championed the migration proposal, leads with around 30% of the vote, while the AfD follows at approximately 20%. The Social Democrats (SPD) and Greens trail further behind.<\/p>\nMerz appears to be betting that his hardline stance on migration will help his party gain support by demonstrating a firm commitment to stricter border controls.<\/p>\nBy taking this approach, he hopes to achieve two goals: weaken the appeal of the anti-immigration AfD while portraying the ruling coalition\u2014who claim to have already taken significant action on migration\u2014as out of touch with public concerns.<\/p>\nBut will this strategy truly diminish the AfD\u2019s influence, or will it ultimately push Merz toward further cooperation with the far right, thereby dismantling the firewall altogether?<\/p>\n","hashtag":null,"createdAt":1738514680,"updatedAt":1738528499,"publishedAt":1738528130,"firstPublishedAt":1738528130,"lastPublishedAt":1738528499,"expiresAt":0,"images":[{"sourceUrl":null,"sourceCredit":null,"callToActionUrl":null,"captionCredit":"Hannes P. Albert\/dpa via AP","altText":"Merz had presented parliament with proposals for strict new immigration rules, which were supported by the partly far-right #AfD.","callToActionText":null,"width":1024,"caption":"Merz had presented parliament with proposals for strict new immigration rules, which were supported by the partly far-right #AfD.","url":"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/02\/38\/64\/{{w}}x{{h}}_cmsv2_25a99a0e-7733-5f66-9ad7-18ff68ccad58-9023864.jpg","captionUrl":null,"height":683}],"authors":{"journalists":[],"producers":[],"videoEditor":[]},"keywords":[{"urlSafeValue":"germany","titleRaw":"Germany","id":125,"title":"Germany","slug":"germany"},{"urlSafeValue":"afd","titleRaw":"Alternative for Germany","id":17206,"title":"Alternative for 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News"},"advertising":0,"advertisingData":{"startDate":0,"endDate":0,"type":null,"slug":null,"title":null,"disclaimerLabelKey":null,"sponsor":null,"sponsorName":null,"sponsorUrl":null,"sponsorLogo":"","sponsorLogoReverse":"","isDfp":0},"geoLocation":{"lat":0,"lon":0},"location":1,"continent":{"id":104,"urlSafeValue":"europe","title":"Europe"},"country":{"id":125,"urlSafeValue":"germany","title":"Germany","url":"\/news\/europe\/germany"},"town":{"id":1734,"urlSafeValue":"berlin","title":"Berlin"},"contextualSignals":{"doubleVerify":{"ids":[],"slugs":[]}},"grapeshot":null,"versions":[],"programDeliverable":{"slug":"sujet","format":"default"},"showOpinionDisclaimer":0,"allViews":0,"allViewsMeta":{"pointOfView":[],"survey":[],"tweetId":0,"tweet2NdId":0,"displayOverlay":0},"storyTranslationMethod":[],"localisation":[],"path":"\/my-europe\/2025\/02\/02\/preserving-the-firewall-160000-demonstrate-in-berlin-against-friedrich-merz","lastModified":1738528499},{"id":2744608,"cid":9022940,"versionId":2,"archive":0,"housenumber":"250202_NWSU_57660239","owner":"euronews","isMagazine":0,"isBreakingNews":0,"daletEventName":"GERMANY PROTESTS AGAINST FAR RIGHT","channels":[{"id":1},{"id":2},{"id":4},{"id":5},{"id":10},{"id":12},{"id":14}],"status":2,"title":"Thousands across Germany protest against CDU and AfD and far-right policy ","titleSeo":null,"titleListing1":"Tens of thousands protest against far-right in Germany","titleListing2":"Thousands across Germany protest against CDU and AfD and far-right policy ","leadin":"Tens of thousands of people took to the streets of Germany to protest against the CDU's migration policy and its voting behaviour in the Bundestag.","summary":"Tens of thousands of people took to the streets of Germany to protest against the CDU's migration policy and its voting behaviour in the Bundestag.","keySentence":"","url":"thousands-across-germany-protest-against-cdu-and-afd-and-far-right-policy","canonical":"https:\/\/www.euronews.com\/2025\/02\/01\/thousands-across-germany-protest-against-cdu-and-afd-and-far-right-policy","masterCms":"v2","plainText":"Tens of thousands took to the streets of several German cities on Saturday \u2013 demonstrating against cooperation between the Christian Democratic Union (CDU) and Alternative for Germany (AfD) parties.\u00a0\n\nProtests drew large crowds in the cities of Aaachen, Augsburg, Braunschweig, Bremen, Cologne, Essen, Frankfurt, Hamburg, Karlsruhe, Leipzig and a number of smaller cities.\u00a0\n\nFurther rallies are planned for Sunday, with the largest expected in Berlin.\u00a0\n\nMany protesters focused on CDU candidate for German Chancellor Friedrich Merz \u2013 who proposed two anti-immigration bills to the German parliament last week.\u00a0\n\nMerz \u2014 the front-runner in Germany's election on February 23rd \u2014 broke a long-standing pledge to not cooperate with the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party on Wednesday, when he accepted its votes in order to pass his migration proposal.\u00a0\n\nThe AfD party is classified by German authorities as a \u201csuspected\u201d far-right extremist organisation.\u00a0\n\nEurope\u2019s largest economy was shaken after Chancellor Olaf Scholz\u2019s three-party governing coalition collapsed late last year in a dispute over how to revitalise amid stagnation.\u00a0\n\n","htmlText":"Tens of thousands took to the streets of several German cities on Saturday \u2013 demonstrating against cooperation between the Christian Democratic Union (CDU) and Alternative for Germany (AfD) parties.\u00a0<\/p>\nProtests drew large crowds in the cities of Aaachen, Augsburg, Braunschweig, Bremen, Cologne, Essen, Frankfurt, Hamburg, Karlsruhe, Leipzig and a number of smaller cities.\u00a0<\/p>\nFurther rallies are planned for Sunday, with the largest expected in Berlin.\u00a0<\/p>\nMany protesters focused on CDU candidate for German Chancellor Friedrich Merz \u2013 who proposed two anti-immigration bills to the German parliament last week.\u00a0<\/p>\nMerz \u2014 the front-runner in Germany's election on February 23rd \u2014 broke a <a href=https://www.euronews.com/"https:////www.euronews.com//my-europe//2025//01//30//merkel-criticises-merz-for-teaming-up-with-germanys-far-right-on-migration-vote/">long-standing pledge<\/strong><\/a> to not cooperate with the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party on Wednesday, when he accepted its votes in order to pass his migration proposal.\u00a0<\/p>\nThe AfD party is classified by German authorities as a \u201csuspected\u201d <a href=https://www.euronews.com/"https:////www.euronews.com//my-europe//2025//01//23//afds-failure-to-appeal-extremist-classification-in-saxony-raises-questions-over-national-b/">far-right extremist organisation.<\/strong><\/a>\u00a0<\/p>\nEurope\u2019s largest economy was shaken after Chancellor Olaf Scholz\u2019s three-party governing coalition collapsed late last year in a dispute over how to revitalise amid stagnation.\u00a0<\/p>\n","hashtag":null,"createdAt":1738446518,"updatedAt":1738483665,"publishedAt":1738447944,"firstPublishedAt":1738447944,"lastPublishedAt":1738483665,"expiresAt":0,"images":[{"sourceUrl":null,"sourceCredit":null,"callToActionUrl":null,"captionCredit":"Michael Probst\/Copyright 2025 The AP. All rights reserved","altText":"Demonstrators carry a sign reading \"nationalism is no alternative\" during a protest against an AfD election campaign in Neu Isenburg near Frankfurt, Germany, Saturday, Feb. 1,","callToActionText":null,"width":1024,"caption":"Demonstrators carry a sign reading \"nationalism is no alternative\" during a protest against an AfD election campaign in Neu Isenburg near Frankfurt, Germany, Saturday, Feb. 1,","url":"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/02\/29\/40\/{{w}}x{{h}}_cmsv2_5849f63d-f343-56fe-b5e8-a8951dd6db26-9022940.jpg","captionUrl":null,"height":683}],"authors":{"journalists":[],"producers":[],"videoEditor":[]},"keywords":[{"urlSafeValue":"german-election-2025","titleRaw":"German election 2025","id":30264,"title":"German election 2025","slug":"german-election-2025"},{"urlSafeValue":"afd","titleRaw":"Alternative for Germany","id":17206,"title":"Alternative for Germany","slug":"afd"},{"urlSafeValue":"german-politics","titleRaw":"German politics","id":10521,"title":"German politics","slug":"german-politics"}],"widgets":[],"related":[{"id":2743674},{"id":2743760},{"id":2742864}],"technicalTags":[],"externalPartners":{"youtubeId":"DWmiK9E9tQc","dailymotionId":"x9ddxxy"},"hasExternalVideo":1,"hasInternalOrExternalVideo":1,"video":1,"videos":[{"duration":60960,"editor":"","filesizeBytes":8157466,"format":"mp4","type":"normal","url":"https:\/\/video.euronews.com\/mp4\/med\/EN\/NW\/SU\/25\/02\/02\/en\/250202_NWSU_57660239_57660267_60960_235245_en.mp4","expiresAt":0,"quality":"md"},{"duration":60960,"editor":"","filesizeBytes":12320538,"format":"mp4","type":"normal","url":"https:\/\/video.euronews.com\/mp4\/EN\/NW\/SU\/25\/02\/02\/en\/250202_NWSU_57660239_57660267_60960_235245_en.mp4","expiresAt":0,"quality":"hd"}],"liveStream":[{"endDate":0,"startDate":0}],"scribbleLiveId":0,"scribbleLiveRibbon":0,"isLiveCoverage":0,"sourceId":1,"sources":[],"externalSource":"EBU","additionalSources":"","additionalReporting":"Euronews","freeField1":null,"freeField2":"","type":"normal","displayType":"default","program":{"id":"world","urlSafeValue":"world","title":"World News","online":1,"url":"https:\/\/www.euronews.com\/programs\/world"},"vertical":"news","verticals":[{"urlSafeValue":"news","id":1,"title":"News","slug":"news"}],"primaryVertical":{"id":1,"slug":"news","urlSafeValue":"news","title":"News"},"themes":[{"urlSafeValue":"news","id":"news","title":"World","url":"\/news\/international"}],"primaryTheme":{"id":1,"urlSafeValue":"news","title":"World"},"advertising":0,"advertisingData":{"startDate":0,"endDate":0,"type":null,"slug":null,"title":null,"disclaimerLabelKey":null,"sponsor":null,"sponsorName":null,"sponsorUrl":null,"sponsorLogo":"","sponsorLogoReverse":"","isDfp":0},"geoLocation":{"lat":0,"lon":0},"location":1,"continent":{"id":104,"urlSafeValue":"europe","title":"Europe"},"country":{"id":125,"urlSafeValue":"germany","title":"Germany","url":"\/news\/europe\/germany"},"town":[],"contextualSignals":{"doubleVerify":{"ids":[],"slugs":[]}},"grapeshot":null,"versions":[],"programDeliverable":{"slug":"sujet","format":"default"},"showOpinionDisclaimer":0,"allViews":0,"allViewsMeta":{"pointOfView":[],"survey":[],"tweetId":0,"tweet2NdId":0,"displayOverlay":0},"storyTranslationMethod":[],"localisation":[],"path":"\/2025\/02\/01\/thousands-across-germany-protest-against-cdu-and-afd-and-far-right-policy","lastModified":1738483665},{"id":2743924,"cid":9020702,"versionId":5,"archive":0,"housenumber":"250131_NCSU_57652049","owner":"euronews","isMagazine":0,"isBreakingNews":0,"daletEventName":"NC4 BERLIN PANDA FAMILY","channels":[{"id":1},{"id":2},{"id":5},{"id":6},{"id":8},{"id":12},{"id":14}],"status":2,"title":"Watch: Berlin zoo's panda cubs Leni and Lotti debut to the public with their mother","titleSeo":null,"titleListing1":"Watch: Berlin zoo's panda cubs Leni and Lotti debut with their mother","titleListing2":"See panda cubs Leni and Lotti debut at Berlin zoo with mom Meng Meng! #BerlinZoo #GiantPandas","leadin":"Since 31 January, visitors to Berlin Zoo have been able to watch panda cubs Leni and Lotti explore with their mother, Meng Meng. Visit in the morning for the best view.","summary":"Since 31 January, visitors to Berlin Zoo have been able to watch panda cubs Leni and Lotti explore with their mother, Meng Meng. Visit in the morning for the best view.","keySentence":"","url":"watch-berlin-zoos-panda-cubs-leni-and-lotti-debut-to-the-public-with-their-mother","canonical":"https:\/\/www.euronews.com\/2025\/02\/01\/watch-berlin-zoos-panda-cubs-leni-and-lotti-debut-to-the-public-with-their-mother","masterCms":"v2","plainText":"Since Friday, Berlin Zoo offers visitors the unique chance to see giant panda twins Leni and Lotti alongside their mother, Meng Meng.\n\nBorn on 22 August last year, the playful sisters have grown curious and energetic. Director of Berlin Zoo, Andreas Knieriem, recommends morning visits as the best time to watch the panda family in action.\n\nThe cubs, also named Meng Hao (\"beautiful dreams\") and Meng Tian (\"sweet dreams\"), pay tribute to Berlin's cultural icons \u2014 Marlene Dietrich and the Charlottenburg district, where the zoo is located.\n\nSince 2017, Berlin Zoo has housed Germany\u2019s only giant pandas. The arrival of Leni and Lotti marks the second successful panda birth in the country \u2014 a rare and celebrated event.\n\nDue to the pandas' difficulty in breeding, their births are considered a triumph. Approximately 1,800 pandas remain in the wild in China, while only a few hundred live in captivity worldwide.\n\n","htmlText":"Since Friday, Berlin Zoo offers visitors the unique chance to see giant panda twins Leni and Lotti alongside their mother, Meng Meng.<\/p>\nBorn on 22 August last year, the playful sisters have grown curious and energetic. Director of Berlin Zoo, Andreas Knieriem, recommends morning visits as the best time to watch the panda family in action.<\/p>\nThe cubs, also named Meng Hao (\"beautiful dreams\") and Meng Tian (\"sweet dreams\"), pay tribute to Berlin's cultural icons \u2014 Marlene Dietrich and the Charlottenburg district, where the zoo is located.<\/p>\nSince 2017, Berlin Zoo has housed Germany\u2019s only giant pandas. The arrival of Leni and Lotti marks the second successful panda birth in the country \u2014 a rare and celebrated event.<\/p>\nDue to the pandas' difficulty in breeding, their births are considered a triumph. Approximately 1,800 pandas remain in the wild in China, while only a few hundred live in captivity worldwide.<\/p>\n","hashtag":null,"createdAt":1738334501,"updatedAt":1738406912,"publishedAt":1738403504,"firstPublishedAt":1738403504,"lastPublishedAt":1738406901,"expiresAt":0,"images":[{"sourceUrl":null,"sourceCredit":null,"callToActionUrl":null,"captionCredit":"Markus Schreiber","altText":"Leni and Lotti romping around the enclosure with their mother Meng Meng.","callToActionText":null,"width":1024,"caption":"Leni and Lotti romping around the enclosure with their mother Meng Meng.","url":"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/08\/95\/81\/32\/{{w}}x{{h}}_cmsv2_5c3424d8-512e-576e-9d78-99a0de4eb0e6-8958132.jpg","captionUrl":null,"height":683}],"authors":{"journalists":[{"urlSafeValue":"caraco","twitter":null,"id":176,"title":"Alexis Caraco"}],"producers":[],"videoEditor":[{"urlSafeValue":"caraco","twitter":null,"id":176,"title":"Alexis Caraco"}]},"keywords":[{"urlSafeValue":"berlin","titleRaw":"Berlin","id":1734,"title":"Berlin","slug":"berlin"},{"urlSafeValue":"zoo","titleRaw":"zoo","id":13016,"title":"zoo","slug":"zoo"},{"urlSafeValue":"variety","titleRaw":"Variety","id":9465,"title":"Variety","slug":"variety"}],"widgets":[],"related":[{"id":2722940},{"id":2640040},{"id":2619274}],"technicalTags":[],"externalPartners":{"youtubeId":"lTFn3OwnQAA","dailymotionId":"x9dctea"},"hasExternalVideo":1,"hasInternalOrExternalVideo":1,"video":1,"videos":[{"duration":60000,"editor":"","filesizeBytes":7535469,"format":"mp4","type":"normal","url":"https:\/\/video.euronews.com\/mp4\/med\/EN\/NC\/SU\/25\/01\/31\/en\/250131_NCSU_57652049_57653590_60000_173719_en.mp4","expiresAt":0,"quality":"md"},{"duration":60000,"editor":"","filesizeBytes":11511149,"format":"mp4","type":"normal","url":"https:\/\/video.euronews.com\/mp4\/EN\/NC\/SU\/25\/01\/31\/en\/250131_NCSU_57652049_57653590_60000_173719_en.mp4","expiresAt":0,"quality":"hd"}],"liveStream":[{"endDate":0,"startDate":0}],"scribbleLiveId":0,"scribbleLiveRibbon":0,"isLiveCoverage":0,"sourceId":1,"sources":[],"externalSource":"AP","additionalSources":"","additionalReporting":"","freeField1":null,"freeField2":"","type":"normal","displayType":"default","program":{"id":"nocomment","urlSafeValue":"nocomment","title":"No Comment","online":1,"url":"\/nocomment"},"vertical":"news","verticals":[{"urlSafeValue":"news","id":1,"title":"News","slug":"news"}],"primaryVertical":{"id":1,"slug":"news","urlSafeValue":"news","title":"News"},"themes":[{"urlSafeValue":"news","id":"news","title":"World","url":"\/news\/international"}],"primaryTheme":{"id":1,"urlSafeValue":"news","title":"World"},"advertising":0,"advertisingData":{"startDate":0,"endDate":0,"type":null,"slug":null,"title":null,"disclaimerLabelKey":null,"sponsor":null,"sponsorName":null,"sponsorUrl":null,"sponsorLogo":"","sponsorLogoReverse":"","isDfp":0},"geoLocation":{"lat":0,"lon":0},"location":1,"continent":{"id":104,"urlSafeValue":"europe","title":"Europe"},"country":{"id":125,"urlSafeValue":"germany","title":"Germany","url":"\/news\/europe\/germany"},"town":[],"contextualSignals":{"doubleVerify":{"ids":[],"slugs":[]}},"grapeshot":null,"versions":[],"programDeliverable":{"slug":"sujet","format":"default"},"showOpinionDisclaimer":0,"allViews":0,"allViewsMeta":{"pointOfView":[],"survey":[],"tweetId":0,"tweet2NdId":0,"displayOverlay":0},"storyTranslationMethod":[],"localisation":[],"path":"\/video\/2025\/02\/01\/watch-berlin-zoos-panda-cubs-leni-and-lotti-debut-to-the-public-with-their-mother","lastModified":1738406901},{"id":2743944,"cid":9020806,"versionId":2,"archive":0,"housenumber":"250131_BUSU_57652497","owner":"euronews","isMagazine":0,"isBreakingNews":0,"daletEventName":"Business Commerzbank","channels":[{"id":1},{"id":2},{"id":3},{"id":4},{"id":5},{"id":10},{"id":12},{"id":14}],"status":2,"title":"Commerzbank announces share buyback and record earnings ","titleSeo":null,"titleListing1":"Commerzbank announces share buyback and record earnings ","titleListing2":"Commerzbank announces share buyback and record earnings ","leadin":"The update comes as the bank is fending off a takeover from Italy\u2019s UniCredit.","summary":"The update comes as the bank is fending off a takeover from Italy\u2019s UniCredit.","keySentence":"","url":"commerzbank-announces-share-buyback-and-record-earnings-from-last-year","canonical":"https:\/\/www.euronews.com\/business\/2025\/01\/31\/commerzbank-announces-share-buyback-and-record-earnings-from-last-year","masterCms":"v2","plainText":"The German lender Commerzbank will buy back shares worth as much as \u20ac400 million, according to its earnings statement released on Friday.\n\nThe bank noted that regulatory approvals had been secured, adding that the buyback would be completed by the Annual General Meeting in mid-May this year.\n\nEarnings for 2024 came in at \u20ac2.68 billion, Commerzbank confirmed in the same press release - an increase of about 20% compared to 2023.\n\nRevenues rose by 6% on the year to \u20ac11.11bn, boosted by commission income and interest returns.\n\nCommerzbank also announced a dividend of \u20ac0.65 per share, up from \u20ac0.35.\n\nThis means the bank will have paid out \u20ac3.1bn to shareholders in the period from 2022 to 2024.\n\n\u201cWe have exceeded our capital return promise to our shareholders,\u201d said Commerzbank CEO Bettina Orlopp.\n\n\u201cBy consistently managing costs and focusing on growth initiatives, we were able to significantly increase the net result for the past financial year...Commerzbank is and remains an attractive investment,\u201d she added.\n\nOrlopp is currently defending Commerzbank against a hostile takeover from UniCredit.\n\nBy highlighting the bank\u2019s value as a standalone entity, she hopes to persuade investors that a takeover is unwise.\n\nUnder the direction of Andrea Orcel, the Italian lender UniCredit raised its stake in Commerzbank to 28% in December.\n\nA few months earlier, the bank gave a similar announcement - first disclosing in September that it had acquired a 9% stake.\n\nUniCredit had accumulated the initial portion through derivatives, a method that did not require full disclosure.\n\nPoliticians in Berlin subsequently accused UniCredit of being deceptive about its holdings.\n\nCommerzbank\u2019s Orlopp will present an updated strategy to the German bank's board of managing directors on 13 February.\n\n","htmlText":"The German lender Commerzbank will buy back shares worth as much as \u20ac400 million, according to its earnings statement released on Friday.<\/p>\nThe bank noted that regulatory approvals had been secured, adding that the buyback would be completed by the Annual General Meeting in mid-May this year.<\/p>\nEarnings for 2024 came in at \u20ac2.68 billion, Commerzbank confirmed in the same press release - an increase of about 20% compared to 2023.<\/p>\nRevenues rose by 6% on the year to \u20ac11.11bn, boosted by commission income and interest returns.<\/p>\nCommerzbank also announced a dividend of \u20ac0.65 per share, up from \u20ac0.35.<\/p>\nThis means the bank will have paid out \u20ac3.1bn to shareholders in the period from 2022 to 2024.<\/p>\n\u201cWe have exceeded our capital return promise to our shareholders,\u201d said Commerzbank CEO Bettina Orlopp.<\/p>\n\u201cBy consistently managing costs and focusing on growth initiatives, we were able to significantly increase the net result for the past financial year...Commerzbank is and remains an attractive investment,\u201d she added.<\/p>\n<div class=\"c-widget-related\" data-stories-id=\"8908530,8749776\" data-event=\"widget_related\">\n <div class=\"c-widget-related__title\">\n Related<\/b>\n <\/div>\n <ul class=\"c-widget-related__list\">\n <li class=\"c-widget-related__item\"><a class=\"c-widget-related__article\" href=https://www.euronews.com/"https:////www.euronews.com//business//2024//09//23//unicredit-ignores-berlins-wrath-to-raise-stake-in-germanys-commerzbank/">UniCredit risks Berlin's wrath to raise stake in Germany's Commerzbank<\/a><\/li><li class=\"c-widget-related__item\"><a class=\"c-widget-related__article\" href=https://www.euronews.com/"https:////www.euronews.com//business//2024//12//24//banking-mergers-are-hot-right-now-but-cross-border-deals-still-face-hurdles/">Banking mergers are hot right now, but cross-border deals still face hurdles<\/a><\/li>\n <\/ul>\n<\/div>\n\n\nOrlopp is currently defending Commerzbank against a hostile takeover from UniCredit.<\/p>\nBy highlighting the bank\u2019s value as a standalone entity, she hopes to persuade investors that a takeover is unwise.<\/p>\nUnder the direction of Andrea Orcel, the Italian lender UniCredit raised its stake in Commerzbank to 28% in December.<\/p>\nA few months earlier, the bank gave a similar announcement - first disclosing in September that it had acquired a 9% stake.<\/p>\nUniCredit had accumulated the initial portion through derivatives, a method that did not require full disclosure.<\/p>\nPoliticians in Berlin subsequently accused UniCredit of being deceptive about its holdings.<\/p>\nCommerzbank\u2019s Orlopp will present an updated strategy to the German bank's board of managing directors on 13 February.<\/p>\n","hashtag":null,"createdAt":1738336418,"updatedAt":1738571032,"publishedAt":1738336884,"firstPublishedAt":1738336884,"lastPublishedAt":1738571032,"expiresAt":0,"images":[{"sourceUrl":null,"sourceCredit":null,"callToActionUrl":null,"captionCredit":"Michael Probst\/AP","altText":"Headquarters of Commerzbank is photographed on the day of the annual press conference in Frankfurt, Germany. 13 Feb. 2014.","callToActionText":null,"width":3821,"caption":"Headquarters of Commerzbank is photographed on the day of the annual press conference in Frankfurt, Germany. 13 Feb. 2014.","url":"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/02\/08\/06\/{{w}}x{{h}}_cmsv2_9f0199df-4137-52fe-a9c9-b0207155df74-9020806.jpg","captionUrl":null,"height":2318}],"authors":{"journalists":[{"urlSafeValue":"butler","twitter":"@eleanorfbutler","id":2734,"title":"Eleanor Butler"}],"producers":[],"videoEditor":[]},"keywords":[{"urlSafeValue":"commerzbank","titleRaw":"Commerzbank","id":19760,"title":"Commerzbank","slug":"commerzbank"},{"urlSafeValue":"banking","titleRaw":"Banking","id":21,"title":"Banking","slug":"banking"},{"urlSafeValue":"mergers-and-acquisitions","titleRaw":"Mergers and acquisitions","id":11065,"title":"Mergers and acquisitions","slug":"mergers-and-acquisitions"},{"urlSafeValue":"profits","titleRaw":"Profits","id":7334,"title":"Profits","slug":"profits"},{"urlSafeValue":"unicredit","titleRaw":"Unicredit","id":22006,"title":"Unicredit","slug":"unicredit"},{"urlSafeValue":"germany","titleRaw":"Germany","id":125,"title":"Germany","slug":"germany"}],"widgets":[{"count":1,"slug":"related"}],"related":[{"id":2743760},{"id":2743656},{"id":2743864}],"technicalTags":[],"externalPartners":[],"hasExternalVideo":0,"hasInternalOrExternalVideo":0,"video":0,"videos":[],"liveStream":[{"endDate":0,"startDate":0}],"scribbleLiveId":0,"scribbleLiveRibbon":0,"isLiveCoverage":0,"sourceId":1,"sources":[],"externalSource":null,"additionalSources":null,"additionalReporting":null,"freeField1":null,"freeField2":"","type":"normal","displayType":"default","program":{"id":"business","urlSafeValue":"business","title":"Business","online":0,"url":"https:\/\/www.euronews.com\/business\/business\/business"},"vertical":"business","verticals":[{"urlSafeValue":"business","id":11,"title":"Business","slug":"business"}],"primaryVertical":{"id":11,"slug":"business","urlSafeValue":"business","title":"Business"},"themes":[{"urlSafeValue":"business","id":"business","title":"Business","url":"\/business\/business"}],"primaryTheme":{"id":7,"urlSafeValue":"business","title":"Business"},"advertising":0,"advertisingData":{"startDate":0,"endDate":0,"type":null,"slug":null,"title":null,"disclaimerLabelKey":null,"sponsor":null,"sponsorName":null,"sponsorUrl":null,"sponsorLogo":"","sponsorLogoReverse":"","isDfp":0},"geoLocation":{"lat":0,"lon":0},"location":1,"continent":{"id":104,"urlSafeValue":"europe","title":"Europe"},"country":{"id":125,"urlSafeValue":"germany","title":"Germany","url":"\/news\/europe\/germany"},"town":[],"contextualSignals":{"doubleVerify":{"ids":["84031001","84032001","84131001","84132012"],"slugs":["business","business_general","personal_finance","personal_finance_stocks"]}},"grapeshot":null,"versions":[],"programDeliverable":{"slug":"sujet","format":"default"},"showOpinionDisclaimer":0,"allViews":0,"allViewsMeta":{"pointOfView":[],"survey":[],"tweetId":0,"tweet2NdId":0,"displayOverlay":0},"storyTranslationMethod":[],"localisation":[],"path":"\/business\/2025\/01\/31\/commerzbank-announces-share-buyback-and-record-earnings-from-last-year","lastModified":1738571032},{"id":2743674,"cid":9019456,"versionId":2,"archive":0,"housenumber":"250131_E3SU_57648843","owner":"euronews","isMagazine":0,"isBreakingNews":0,"daletEventName":"MERZ NEW MIGRATION BILL","channels":[{"id":1},{"id":2},{"id":3},{"id":4},{"id":5},{"id":10},{"id":12},{"id":14}],"status":2,"title":"Bundestag reject Merz's second migration bill amid backlash in Germany","titleSeo":null,"titleListing1":"Bundestag reject Merz's second migration bill amid backlash in Germany","titleListing2":"Bundestag reject Merz's second migration bill amid backlash in Germany","leadin":"The centre-right CDU party leader sparked fierce criticism on Wednesday for accepting the far right's support in pushing a first bill through parliament.","summary":"The centre-right CDU party leader sparked fierce criticism on Wednesday for accepting the far right's support in pushing a first bill through parliament.","keySentence":"","url":"bundestag-vote-on-merzs-second-migration-bill-delayed-amid-mass-protests-in-germany","canonical":"https:\/\/www.euronews.com\/my-europe\/2025\/01\/31\/bundestag-vote-on-merzs-second-migration-bill-delayed-amid-mass-protests-in-germany","masterCms":"v2","plainText":"The Bundestag rejected a second bill on Friday calling for stricter immigration rules in Germany. The first proposal, which passed with votes from the far-right Alternative for Germany party earlier this week, sparked mass protests. \n\nThe country's favourite to become next chancellor, Friedrich Merz, proposed a motion asking, among other points, for the end of family reunification for those with subsidiary protection and increased powers for federal police officers to deport migrants.\n\nUnlike the motion passed on Wednesday, the bill was legally binding, meaning it would have become law if the centre-right Christian Democratic Union (CDU) \u2014 led by Merz \u2014 gathered enough votes to support it and if it passed the parliament's upper house. \n\nHowever, the proposal failed to get the necessary votes, with 350 voting against the bill after a prolonged and tense parliamentary session in which MPs negotiated behind the scenes and hurled blame on one another. \n\nThe CDU extended the scheduled session as it frantically negotiated with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz's Social Democrats (SPD) and the Greens, according to domestic media.\n\nDiscussions were seemingly fruitless as Merz further insisted that his proposals were necessary regardless of who voted for them \u2014 a suggestion other parties rejected out of hand. \n\nGreens Minister Annalena Baerbock took to the podium to accuse Merz of not standing up for democracy in choosing to work with the AfD.\n\n\"You don't need to tear down a firewall with a wrecking ball to set your own house on fire. It's enough to keep drilling holes,\" Baerbock said. \n\nBoth the SPD and the Greens fiercely criticised Friday's bill as well as the first one, which passed with a razor-thin majority on Wednesday.\n\nHarsh words and demonstrations\n\nThe measure, which called on Germany to turn away many more migrants at its borders, sparked mass protests and a rare public rebuke from former Chancellor Angela Merkel, who previously led the CDU. \n\nMerkel called Merz's decision to work with the AfD \"wrong\" and accused him of breaking the so-called \"firewall\" against the party \u2014 a political consensus made among Germany's other parties to keep the far right out of power. \n\nTens of thousands across Germany protested against Merz's decision and the prospect of the AfD gaining power, including around 10,000 gathered in Freiburg and some 6,000 outside the CDU's headquarters in Berlin. \n\nThe CDU leader insisted he wanted to pass his measures with votes from the \"democratic centre\" but that without votes from other parties, he was prepared to accept votes from the AfD. \n\nScholz has suggested that, after Wednesday's vote, Merz can no longer be trusted not to enter into a coalition with the AfD. The AfD is currently polling second place with 23%, behind the CDU, which has 30%. \n\nMerz has angrily rejected the suggestion and called on other parties to accept the necessity of his proposals to stem violence in Germany. \n\nThe CDU leader has made migration central to his campaign ahead of the country's elections on 23 February. \n\nHe sharpened his rhetoric on the subject after an asylum seeker from Afghanistan was arrested over a knife attack that killed a man and a 2-year-old boy in the Bavarian city of Aschaffenburg last week.\n\nThe incident followed knife attacks in Mannheim and Solingen last year in which the suspects were immigrants from Afghanistan and Syria, and a separate attack on a Christmas market in Magdeburg in which the suspect is a Saudi-born doctor. \n\n","htmlText":"The Bundestag rejected a second bill on Friday calling for stricter immigration rules in Germany. The first proposal, which passed with votes from the far-right Alternative for Germany party earlier this week, sparked mass protests. <\/p>\nThe country's favourite to become next chancellor, Friedrich Merz, proposed a motion asking, among other points, for the end of family reunification for those with subsidiary protection and increased powers for federal police officers to deport migrants.<\/p>\nUnlike the motion passed on Wednesday, the bill was legally binding, meaning it would have become law if the centre-right Christian Democratic Union (CDU) \u2014 led by Merz \u2014 gathered enough votes to support it and if it passed the parliament's upper house. <\/p>\nHowever, the proposal failed to get the necessary votes, with 350 voting against the bill after a prolonged and tense parliamentary session in which MPs negotiated behind the scenes and hurled blame on one another. <\/p>\nThe CDU extended the scheduled session as it frantically negotiated with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz's Social Democrats (SPD) and the Greens, according to domestic media.<\/p>\nDiscussions were seemingly fruitless as Merz further insisted that his proposals were necessary regardless of who voted for them \u2014 a suggestion other parties rejected out of hand. <\/p>\nGreens Minister Annalena Baerbock took to the podium to accuse Merz of not standing up for democracy in choosing to work with the AfD.<\/p>\n\"You don't need to tear down a firewall with a wrecking ball to set your own house on fire. It's enough to keep drilling holes,\" Baerbock said. <\/p>\n<div class=\"c-widget-related\" data-stories-id=\"9016380,9013392\" data-event=\"widget_related\">\n <div class=\"c-widget-related__title\">\n Related<\/b>\n <\/div>\n <ul class=\"c-widget-related__list\">\n <li class=\"c-widget-related__item\"><a class=\"c-widget-related__article\" href=https://www.euronews.com/"https:////www.euronews.com//my-europe//2025//01//30//merkel-criticises-merz-for-teaming-up-with-germanys-far-right-on-migration-vote/">Merkel criticises Merz for teaming up with Germany's far-right on migration vote<\/a><\/li><li class=\"c-widget-related__item\"><a class=\"c-widget-related__article\" href=https://www.euronews.com/"https:////www.euronews.com//my-europe//2025//01//29//germanys-opposition-leader-merz-vows-to-push-asylum-law-change-through-parliament/">German opposition leader Merz's migration plan passes parliament <\/a><\/li>\n <\/ul>\n<\/div>\n\n\nBoth the SPD and the Greens fiercely criticised Friday's bill as well as the first one, which passed with a razor-thin majority on Wednesday.<\/p>\n<h2>Harsh words and demonstrations<\/h2>The measure, which called on Germany to turn away many more migrants at its borders, sparked mass protests and a rare public rebuke from former Chancellor Angela Merkel, who previously led the CDU. <\/p>\nMerkel called Merz's decision to work with the AfD \"wrong\" and accused him of breaking the so-called \"firewall\" against the party \u2014 a political consensus made among Germany's other parties to keep the far right out of power. <\/p>\nTens of thousands across Germany protested against Merz's decision and the prospect of the AfD gaining power, including around 10,000 gathered in Freiburg and some 6,000 outside the CDU's headquarters in Berlin. <\/p>\nThe CDU leader insisted he wanted to pass his measures with votes from the \"democratic centre\" but that without votes from other parties, he was prepared to accept votes from the AfD. <\/p>\nScholz has suggested that, after Wednesday's vote, Merz can no longer be trusted not to enter into a coalition with the AfD. The AfD is currently polling second place with 23%, behind the CDU, which has 30%. <\/p>\nMerz has angrily rejected the suggestion and called on other parties to accept the necessity of his proposals to stem violence in Germany. <\/p>\nThe CDU leader has made migration central to his campaign ahead of the country's elections on 23 February. <\/p>\nHe sharpened his rhetoric on the subject after an asylum seeker from Afghanistan was arrested over a knife attack that killed a man and a 2-year-old boy in the Bavarian city of Aschaffenburg last week.<\/p>\nThe incident followed knife attacks in Mannheim and Solingen last year in which the suspects were immigrants from Afghanistan and Syria, and a separate attack on a Christmas market in Magdeburg in which the suspect is a Saudi-born doctor. <\/p>\n","hashtag":null,"createdAt":1738318281,"updatedAt":1738349284,"publishedAt":1738328232,"firstPublishedAt":1738328232,"lastPublishedAt":1738341608,"expiresAt":0,"images":[{"sourceUrl":null,"sourceCredit":null,"callToActionUrl":null,"captionCredit":"AP Photo","altText":"German opposition leader and Christian Union parties floor leader Friedrich Merz speaks after the debate and a voting about migration at the German parliament Bundestag.","callToActionText":null,"width":1024,"caption":"German opposition leader and Christian Union parties floor leader Friedrich Merz speaks after the debate and a voting about migration at the German parliament Bundestag.","url":"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/01\/94\/56\/{{w}}x{{h}}_cmsv2_65eb0499-4965-5868-8941-fb3083d2d4b9-9019456.jpg","captionUrl":null,"height":576}],"authors":{"journalists":[{"urlSafeValue":"paternoster","twitter":null,"id":2940,"title":"Tamsin Paternoster"}],"producers":[],"videoEditor":[]},"keywords":[{"urlSafeValue":"friedrich-merz","titleRaw":"Friedrich Merz","id":17640,"title":"Friedrich Merz","slug":"friedrich-merz"},{"urlSafeValue":"immigration","titleRaw":"Immigration","id":147,"title":"Immigration","slug":"immigration"},{"urlSafeValue":"migration","titleRaw":"migration","id":13450,"title":"migration","slug":"migration"},{"urlSafeValue":"german-election-2025","titleRaw":"German election 2025","id":30264,"title":"German election 2025","slug":"german-election-2025"},{"urlSafeValue":"afd-alternative-fur-deutschland","titleRaw":"AfD Alternative f\u00fcr Deutschland","id":17832,"title":"AfD Alternative f\u00fcr Deutschland","slug":"afd-alternative-fur-deutschland"}],"widgets":[{"count":1,"slug":"related"}],"related":[{"id":2742864},{"id":2737450},{"id":2740548}],"technicalTags":[],"externalPartners":{"youtubeId":"hy879DfsQBw","dailymotionId":"x9dbtho"},"hasExternalVideo":0,"hasInternalOrExternalVideo":0,"video":1,"videos":[{"duration":84000,"editor":"","filesizeBytes":11077887,"format":"mp4","type":"normal","url":"https:\/\/video.euronews.com\/mp4\/med\/EN\/E3\/SU\/25\/01\/31\/en\/250131_E3SU_57648843_57654692_84000_194007_en.mp4","expiresAt":0,"quality":"md"},{"duration":84000,"editor":"","filesizeBytes":16789247,"format":"mp4","type":"normal","url":"https:\/\/video.euronews.com\/mp4\/EN\/E3\/SU\/25\/01\/31\/en\/250131_E3SU_57648843_57654692_84000_194007_en.mp4","expiresAt":0,"quality":"hd"}],"liveStream":[{"endDate":0,"startDate":0}],"scribbleLiveId":0,"scribbleLiveRibbon":0,"isLiveCoverage":0,"sourceId":1,"sources":[],"externalSource":null,"additionalSources":null,"additionalReporting":null,"freeField1":null,"freeField2":"","type":"normal","displayType":"default","program":{"id":"europe-news","urlSafeValue":"europe-news","title":"Europe News","online":1,"url":"https:\/\/www.euronews.com\/my-europe\/europe-news\/europe-news"},"vertical":"my-europe","verticals":[{"urlSafeValue":"my-europe","id":2,"title":"Europe","slug":"my-europe"}],"primaryVertical":{"id":2,"slug":"my-europe","urlSafeValue":"my-europe","title":"Europe"},"themes":[{"urlSafeValue":"europe-news","id":"europe-news","title":"Europe News","url":"\/my-europe\/europe-news"}],"primaryTheme":{"id":56,"urlSafeValue":"europe-news","title":"Europe News"},"advertising":0,"advertisingData":{"startDate":0,"endDate":0,"type":null,"slug":null,"title":null,"disclaimerLabelKey":null,"sponsor":null,"sponsorName":null,"sponsorUrl":null,"sponsorLogo":"","sponsorLogoReverse":"","isDfp":0},"geoLocation":{"lat":0,"lon":0},"location":1,"continent":{"id":104,"urlSafeValue":"europe","title":"Europe"},"country":{"id":125,"urlSafeValue":"germany","title":"Germany","url":"\/news\/europe\/germany"},"town":{"id":1734,"urlSafeValue":"berlin","title":"Berlin"},"contextualSignals":{"doubleVerify":{"ids":["80023001","80122003","80122006","80222003","80222006","84111001","84112003","84112005","84211001","84212001"],"slugs":["aggregated_all_moderate_content","crime_high_and_medium_risk","crime_high_medium_and_low_risk","law_gov_t_and_politics_immigration","law_gov_t_and_politics_legal_politics","law_government_and_politics","society","society_general","violence_high_and_medium_risk","violence_high_medium_and_low_risk"]}},"grapeshot":null,"versions":[],"programDeliverable":{"slug":"sujet","format":"default"},"showOpinionDisclaimer":0,"allViews":0,"allViewsMeta":{"pointOfView":[],"survey":[],"tweetId":0,"tweet2NdId":0,"displayOverlay":0},"storyTranslationMethod":[],"localisation":[],"path":"\/my-europe\/2025\/01\/31\/bundestag-vote-on-merzs-second-migration-bill-delayed-amid-mass-protests-in-germany","lastModified":1738341608},{"id":2743760,"cid":9019880,"versionId":1,"archive":0,"housenumber":"250131_ECSU_57650075","owner":"euronews","isMagazine":0,"isBreakingNews":0,"daletEventName":"Business German unemployment","channels":[{"id":1},{"id":2},{"id":3},{"id":4},{"id":5},{"id":10},{"id":12},{"id":14}],"status":2,"title":"Germany\u2019s unemployment rate rises to highest level in almost a decade","titleSeo":null,"titleListing1":"Germany\u2019s unemployment rate rises to highest level in almost a decade","titleListing2":"Germany\u2019s unemployment rate rises to highest level in almost a decade","leadin":"A rise in the jobless rate is normal for this time of year, although the scale of the jump points to underlying economic weakness.","summary":"A rise in the jobless rate is normal for this time of year, although the scale of the jump points to underlying economic weakness.","keySentence":"","url":"germanys-unemployment-rate-rises-to-highest-level-in-almost-a-decade","canonical":"https:\/\/www.euronews.com\/business\/2025\/01\/31\/germanys-unemployment-rate-rises-to-highest-level-in-almost-a-decade","masterCms":"v2","plainText":"The unemployment rate in Germany reached its highest level since February 2015 at the start of the year, according to new data from the Federal Employment Agency (BA).\n\nFrom December to January, the number of people out of work increased by 11,000 on a seasonally adjusted basis.\n\nCompared to the same month last year, the number of unemployed individuals rose by 187,000 - bringing the total to 2.993 million.\n\nThe unemployment rate rose to 6.4%, up by 0.4 percentage points on the month.\n\nAt this time of year, more Germans tend to be out of work as many temporary contracts end and weather-dependent jobs dry up.\n\nThe scale of the seasonal increase can nonetheless be linked to the poor state of Germany\u2019s economy, hampered by a manufacturing downturn and a productivity crisis.\n\nCrumbling infrastructure, political instability, and excess red tape are also adding to Germany\u2019s woes.\n\nThe country\u2019s GDP contracted 0.2% year-on-year in 2024, following a contraction of 0.3% in 2023.\n\nThe last time unemployment was higher than current levels was in February 2015, when it stood at 3.017 million.\n\nUpcoming elections\n\nThe Ifo, a think-tank in Germany, also released economic updates this week.\n\nOn Thursday, researchers noted that \u201calmost all branches of industry in Germany want to reduce their headcount\u201d.\n\nEconomic concerns will play a significant role in Germany\u2019s upcoming federal election, scheduled for 23 February.\n\nPoliticians are considering how best to boost the nation\u2019s competitiveness in the face of global business competition - notably from China.\n\nThe renewable energy transition will also be key to the economic debate, as will decisions over Germany\u2019s debt brake.\n\nThis mechanism limits public spending in the country, only allowing new government borrowing to exceed 0.35% of structural GDP during emergencies.\n\n","htmlText":"The unemployment rate in Germany reached its highest level since February 2015 at the start of the year, according to new data from the Federal Employment Agency (BA).<\/p>\nFrom December to January, the number of people out of work increased by 11,000 on a seasonally adjusted basis.<\/p>\nCompared to the same month last year, the number of unemployed individuals rose by 187,000 - bringing the total to 2.993 million.<\/p>\nThe unemployment rate rose to 6.4%, up by 0.4 percentage points on the month.<\/p>\nAt this time of year, more Germans tend to be out of work as many temporary contracts end and weather-dependent jobs dry up.<\/p>\nThe scale of the seasonal increase can nonetheless be linked to the poor state of Germany\u2019s economy, hampered by a manufacturing downturn and a productivity crisis.<\/p>\nCrumbling infrastructure, political instability, and excess red tape are also adding to Germany\u2019s woes.<\/p>\nThe country\u2019s GDP contracted 0.2% year-on-year in 2024, following a contraction of 0.3% in 2023.<\/p>\nThe last time unemployment was higher than current levels was in February 2015, when it stood at 3.017 million.<\/p>\n<div class=\"c-widget-related\" data-stories-id=\"8427614,8976138\" data-event=\"widget_related\">\n <div class=\"c-widget-related__title\">\n Related<\/b>\n <\/div>\n <ul class=\"c-widget-related__list\">\n <li class=\"c-widget-related__item\"><a class=\"c-widget-related__article\" href=https://www.euronews.com/"https:////www.euronews.com//business//2025//01//16//german-inflation-shows-continued-rise-still-some-way-above-ecbs-target/">German inflation shows continued rise, still ahead of ECB's target<\/a><\/li><li class=\"c-widget-related__item\"><a class=\"c-widget-related__article\" href=https://www.euronews.com/"https:////www.euronews.com//business//2024//05//11//is-part-time-work-fuelling-germanys-economic-woes/">Is part-time work fuelling Germany\u2019s economic woes?<\/a><\/li>\n <\/ul>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<h2>Upcoming elections<\/h2>The Ifo, a think-tank in Germany, also released economic updates this week.<\/p>\nOn Thursday, researchers noted that \u201calmost all branches of industry in Germany want to reduce their headcount\u201d.<\/p>\nEconomic concerns will play a significant role in Germany\u2019s upcoming federal election, scheduled for 23 February.<\/p>\nPoliticians are considering how best to boost the nation\u2019s competitiveness in the face of global business competition - notably from China.<\/p>\nThe renewable energy transition will also be key to the economic debate, as will decisions over Germany\u2019s debt brake.<\/p>\nThis mechanism limits public spending in the country, only allowing new government borrowing to exceed 0.35% of structural GDP during emergencies.<\/p>\n","hashtag":null,"createdAt":1738323846,"updatedAt":1738325622,"publishedAt":1738325473,"firstPublishedAt":1738325473,"lastPublishedAt":1738325473,"expiresAt":0,"images":[{"url":"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/01\/98\/80\/{{w}}x{{h}}_cmsv2_f6705fc9-bc26-5121-937d-89d35a49bd2e-9019880.jpg","altText":"A German national flag waves near a homeless encampment under a bridge, in Frankfurt, Germany. 27 January 2025.","caption":"A German national flag waves near a homeless encampment under a bridge, in Frankfurt, Germany. 27 January 2025.","captionUrl":null,"captionCredit":"Michael Probst\/AP","sourceUrl":null,"sourceCredit":null,"callToActionUrl":null,"callToActionText":null,"width":1024,"height":683}],"authors":{"journalists":[{"id":2734,"urlSafeValue":"butler","title":"Eleanor Butler","twitter":"@eleanorfbutler"}],"producers":[],"videoEditor":[]},"keywords":[{"id":125,"slug":"germany","urlSafeValue":"germany","title":"Germany","titleRaw":"Germany"},{"id":289,"slug":"unemployment","urlSafeValue":"unemployment","title":"Unemployment","titleRaw":"Unemployment"},{"id":17322,"slug":"employment","urlSafeValue":"employment","title":"employment","titleRaw":"employment"},{"id":6657,"slug":"jobs","urlSafeValue":"jobs","title":"Jobs","titleRaw":"Jobs"},{"id":7966,"slug":"economic-growth","urlSafeValue":"economic-growth","title":"Economic growth","titleRaw":"Economic growth"},{"id":9415,"slug":"economic-crisis","urlSafeValue":"economic-crisis","title":"Economic crisis","titleRaw":"Economic crisis"}],"widgets":[{"slug":"related","count":1}],"related":[{"id":2743656},{"id":2743530},{"id":2743136}],"technicalTags":[],"externalPartners":[],"hasExternalVideo":0,"hasInternalOrExternalVideo":0,"video":0,"videos":[],"liveStream":[{"startDate":0,"endDate":0}],"scribbleLiveId":0,"scribbleLiveRibbon":0,"isLiveCoverage":0,"sourceId":1,"sources":[],"externalSource":null,"additionalSources":null,"additionalReporting":null,"freeField1":null,"freeField2":"","type":"normal","displayType":"default","program":{"id":"economy","urlSafeValue":"economy","title":"Economy","online":0,"url":"https:\/\/www.euronews.com\/business\/economy\/economy"},"vertical":"business","verticals":[{"id":11,"slug":"business","urlSafeValue":"business","title":"Business"}],"primaryVertical":{"id":11,"slug":"business","urlSafeValue":"business","title":"Business"},"themes":[{"id":"economy","urlSafeValue":"economy","title":"Economy","url":"\/business\/economy"}],"primaryTheme":{"id":72,"urlSafeValue":"economy","title":"Economy"},"advertising":0,"advertisingData":{"startDate":0,"endDate":0,"type":null,"slug":null,"title":null,"disclaimerLabelKey":null,"sponsor":null,"sponsorName":null,"sponsorUrl":null,"sponsorLogo":"","sponsorLogoReverse":"","isDfp":0},"geoLocation":{"lat":0,"lon":0},"location":1,"continent":{"id":104,"urlSafeValue":"europe","title":"Europe"},"country":{"id":125,"urlSafeValue":"germany","title":"Germany","url":"\/news\/europe\/germany"},"town":[],"contextualSignals":{"doubleVerify":{"ids":["84111001","84112001","84211001","84212001"],"slugs":["law_government_and_politics","law_government_and_politics_general","society","society_general"]}},"grapeshot":null,"versions":[],"programDeliverable":{"slug":"sujet","format":"default"},"showOpinionDisclaimer":0,"allViews":0,"allViewsMeta":{"pointOfView":[],"survey":[],"tweetId":0,"tweet2NdId":0,"displayOverlay":0},"storyTranslationMethod":[],"localisation":[],"path":"\/business\/2025\/01\/31\/germanys-unemployment-rate-rises-to-highest-level-in-almost-a-decade","lastModified":1738325473},{"id":2742864,"cid":9016380,"versionId":1,"archive":0,"housenumber":"250130_E3SU_57639066","owner":"euronews","isMagazine":0,"isBreakingNews":0,"daletEventName":"GERMANY MERKEL CRITICIZES MERZ","channels":[{"id":1},{"id":2},{"id":3},{"id":4},{"id":5},{"id":10},{"id":12},{"id":14}],"status":2,"title":"Merkel criticises Merz for teaming up with Germany's far-right on migration vote","titleSeo":null,"titleListing1":"Merkel criticises Merz for teaming up with Germany's far-right","titleListing2":"Merkel criticises Merz for teaming up with Germany's far-right on migration vote","leadin":"The front-runner to be Germany's next chancellor, Friedrich Merz, has faced criticism for accepting support from the Alternative for Germany (AfD) party.","summary":"The front-runner to be Germany's next chancellor, Friedrich Merz, has faced criticism for accepting support from the Alternative for Germany (AfD) party.","keySentence":"","url":"merkel-criticises-merz-for-teaming-up-with-germanys-far-right-on-migration-vote","canonical":"https:\/\/www.euronews.com\/my-europe\/2025\/01\/30\/merkel-criticises-merz-for-teaming-up-with-germanys-far-right-on-migration-vote","masterCms":"v2","plainText":"Former German Chancellor Angela Merkel on Thursday issued a rare public rebuke of Germany's main opposition leader, Friedrich Merz, for accepting help from the far-right to push tough new migration plans through parliament. \n\nMerz \u2014 the front-runner in Germany's election next month \u2014 broke a long-standing pledge to not cooperate with the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party on Wednesday, when he accepted its votes in order to pass his migration proposal.\n\nThe non-binding motion calling for stricter border and asylum rules passed with a razor-thin majority thanks to the AfD's support. It was the first time that an AfD-backed motion was passed in German parliament, with the party calling it \"a historic day for Germany\".\n\nMerkel said Merz \u2014 her successor as leader of the centre-right Christian Democrats (CDU) party \u2014 had been \"wrong\" to break the political taboo of working with the AfD. \n\nMerz has faced widespread criticism for working with the AfD, but insisted in a fiery debate ahead of the vote that it was necessary in order to stem violence in Germany. \n\n\"I am not looking for any other majorities in this German Bundestag than those in the democratic centre of parliament. If there was such a majority here today, then I regret it,\" Merz said after the vote. \n\nThe favourite to be Germany's next chancellor toughened his rhetoric on migration after a rejected Afghan asylum-seeker was arrested over a knife attack that killed a man and a 2-year-old boy in the Bavarian city of Aschaffenburg last week. \n\nThe incident followed knife attacks in Mannheim and Solingen last year in which the suspects were immigrants from Afghanistan and Syria. A separate attack on a Christmas market in Magdeburg \u2014 in which the suspect is a Saudi doctor \u2014 has put immigration firmly on the agenda in the run-up to the country's election on 23 February. \n\nBacklash and protests\n\nMerz says Germany has had a \"misguided asylum and immigration policy\" for a decade since Merkel, his predecessor, allowed large numbers of migrants into the nation in 2015. \n\nHis party, which are currently leading in opinion polls, has said that Germany needs to radically overhaul its approach to immigration and take a tougher stance. \n\nThe outgoing government of Chancellor Olaf Scholz's Social Democrats (SPD) and the Green party have argued that they have already toughened controls on immigration. The coalition, which also included the liberal Free Democratic Party (FDP), implemented temporary controls on Germany's borders and tightened laws on deportations. \n\nFor his part, Scholz described Merz's proposals as incompatible with both German and EU asylum law.\n\nHe said his government had already \"pushed the boundaries\" of what is possible during its tenure, and that Merz's motion puts the country's reputation as a law-abiding European ally at risk. \n\nInterior Minister Nancy Faeser said that the motion approved on Wednesday jeopardised \"joint European action through dangerous national solo efforts.\u201d\n\n\u201cI want to make it clear because the debates in Germany are causing irritation among our European neighbours these days,\u201d Faeser added. \n\nA spokesperson for the European Commission said it would not comment on, \"political debates, drafts and announcements\" but would look at a \"text when it is ready.\"\n\nThe EU's internal affairs and migration commissioner Magnus Brunner declined to comment on Merz's proposals, but said that more needed to be done on returns across the bloc.\n\n\"Nobody understands why people [who] are not allowed to, cannot stay in the European Union, and that is why are are working on new, tighter rules,\" he said.\n\nSeveral hundred people demonstrated against stricter migration policies in front of the CDU party headquarters in Berlin, including organisations such as Amnesty International, on Wednesday evening after the vote. \n\n","htmlText":"Former German Chancellor Angela Merkel on Thursday issued a rare public rebuke of Germany's main opposition leader, Friedrich Merz, for accepting help from the far-right to push tough new migration plans through parliament. <\/p>\nMerz \u2014 the front-runner in Germany's election next month \u2014 broke a long-standing pledge to not cooperate with the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party on Wednesday, when he accepted its votes in order to pass his migration proposal.<\/p>\nThe non-binding motion calling for stricter border and asylum rules passed with a razor-thin majority thanks to the AfD's support. It was the first time that an AfD-backed motion was passed in German parliament, with the party calling it \"a historic day for Germany\".<\/p>\n<div class=\"c-widget-related\" data-stories-id=\"9013392,9000162\" data-event=\"widget_related\">\n <div class=\"c-widget-related__title\">\n Related<\/b>\n <\/div>\n <ul class=\"c-widget-related__list\">\n <li class=\"c-widget-related__item\"><a class=\"c-widget-related__article\" href=https://www.euronews.com/"https:////www.euronews.com//my-europe//2025//01//24//germanys-opposition-leader-merz-under-fire-for-vowing-migration-crackdown/">Germany's opposition leader Merz under fire for vowing migration crackdown<\/a><\/li><li class=\"c-widget-related__item\"><a class=\"c-widget-related__article\" href=https://www.euronews.com/"https:////www.euronews.com//my-europe//2025//01//29//germanys-opposition-leader-merz-vows-to-push-asylum-law-change-through-parliament/">German opposition leader Merz's migration plan passes parliament <\/a><\/li>\n <\/ul>\n<\/div>\n\n\nMerkel said Merz \u2014 her successor as leader of the centre-right Christian Democrats (CDU) party \u2014 had been \"wrong\" to break the political taboo of working with the AfD. <\/p>\nMerz has faced widespread criticism for working with the AfD, but insisted in a fiery debate ahead of the vote that it was necessary in order to stem violence in Germany. <\/p>\n\"I am not looking for any other majorities in this German Bundestag than those in the democratic centre of parliament. If there was such a majority here today, then I regret it,\" Merz said after the vote. <\/p>\nThe favourite to be Germany's next chancellor toughened his rhetoric on migration after a rejected Afghan asylum-seeker was arrested over a knife attack that killed a man and a 2-year-old boy in the Bavarian city of Aschaffenburg last week. <\/p>\nThe incident followed knife attacks in Mannheim and Solingen last year in which the suspects were immigrants from Afghanistan and Syria. A separate attack on a Christmas market in Magdeburg \u2014 in which the suspect is a Saudi doctor \u2014 has put immigration firmly on the agenda in the run-up to the country's election on 23 February. <\/p>\n<h2>Backlash and protests<\/h2>Merz says Germany has had a \"misguided asylum and immigration policy\" for a decade since Merkel, his predecessor, allowed large numbers of migrants into the nation in 2015. <\/p>\nHis party, which are currently leading in opinion polls, has said that Germany needs to radically overhaul its approach to immigration and take a tougher stance. <\/p>\nThe outgoing government of Chancellor Olaf Scholz's Social Democrats (SPD) and the Green party have argued that they have already toughened controls on immigration. The coalition, which also included the liberal Free Democratic Party (FDP), implemented temporary controls on Germany's borders and tightened laws on deportations. <\/p>\nFor his part, Scholz described Merz's proposals as incompatible with both German and EU asylum law.<\/p>\nHe said his government had already \"pushed the boundaries\" of what is possible during its tenure, and that Merz's motion puts the country's reputation as a law-abiding European ally at risk. <\/p>\nInterior Minister Nancy Faeser said that the motion approved on Wednesday jeopardised \"joint European action through dangerous national solo efforts.\u201d<\/p>\n\u201cI want to make it clear because the debates in Germany are causing irritation among our European neighbours these days,\u201d Faeser added. <\/p>\nA spokesperson for the European Commission said it would not comment on, \"political debates, drafts and announcements\" but would look at a \"text when it is ready.\"<\/p>\nThe EU's internal affairs and migration commissioner Magnus Brunner declined to comment on Merz's proposals, but said that more needed to be done on returns across the bloc.<\/p>\n\"Nobody understands why people [who] are not allowed to, cannot stay in the European Union, and that is why are are working on new, tighter rules,\" he said.<\/p>\nSeveral hundred people demonstrated against stricter migration policies in front of the CDU party headquarters in Berlin, including organisations such as Amnesty International, on Wednesday evening after the vote. <\/p>\n","hashtag":null,"createdAt":1738232946,"updatedAt":1738240540,"publishedAt":1738240520,"firstPublishedAt":1738240520,"lastPublishedAt":1738240520,"expiresAt":0,"images":[{"url":"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/01\/63\/80\/{{w}}x{{h}}_cmsv2_a55f49d7-50bc-5356-bf86-742ac35a4ccb-9016380.jpg","altText":"Angela Merkel delivers a speech during a reception of the North Rhine-Westphalian Christian Democratic Union, CDU, in Duesseldorf, Germany, Saturday, Jan. 18, 2025.","caption":"Angela Merkel delivers a speech during a reception of the North Rhine-Westphalian Christian Democratic Union, CDU, in Duesseldorf, Germany, Saturday, Jan. 18, 2025.","captionUrl":null,"captionCredit":"AP Photo","sourceUrl":null,"sourceCredit":null,"callToActionUrl":null,"callToActionText":null,"width":1024,"height":576}],"authors":{"journalists":[{"id":2940,"urlSafeValue":"paternoster","title":"Tamsin Paternoster","twitter":null}],"producers":[],"videoEditor":[]},"keywords":[{"id":125,"slug":"germany","urlSafeValue":"germany","title":"Germany","titleRaw":"Germany"},{"id":13450,"slug":"migration","urlSafeValue":"migration","title":"migration","titleRaw":"migration"},{"id":17206,"slug":"afd","urlSafeValue":"afd","title":"Alternative for Germany","titleRaw":"Alternative for Germany"},{"id":4385,"slug":"angela-merkel","urlSafeValue":"angela-merkel","title":"Angela Merkel","titleRaw":"Angela 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News","online":1,"url":"https:\/\/www.euronews.com\/my-europe\/europe-news\/europe-news"},"vertical":"my-europe","verticals":[{"id":2,"slug":"my-europe","urlSafeValue":"my-europe","title":"Europe"}],"primaryVertical":{"id":2,"slug":"my-europe","urlSafeValue":"my-europe","title":"Europe"},"themes":[{"id":"europe-news","urlSafeValue":"europe-news","title":"Europe News","url":"\/my-europe\/europe-news"}],"primaryTheme":{"id":56,"urlSafeValue":"europe-news","title":"Europe News"},"advertising":0,"advertisingData":{"startDate":0,"endDate":0,"type":null,"slug":null,"title":null,"disclaimerLabelKey":null,"sponsor":null,"sponsorName":null,"sponsorUrl":null,"sponsorLogo":"","sponsorLogoReverse":"","isDfp":0},"geoLocation":{"lat":0,"lon":0},"location":1,"continent":{"id":104,"urlSafeValue":"europe","title":"Europe"},"country":{"id":125,"urlSafeValue":"germany","title":"Germany","url":"\/news\/europe\/germany"},"town":[],"contextualSignals":{"doubleVerify":{"ids":["80023001","84091001","84092030"],"slugs":["aggregated_all_moderate_content","hobbies_and_interests","hobbies_and_interests_social_networking"]}},"grapeshot":null,"versions":[],"programDeliverable":{"slug":"sujet","format":"default"},"showOpinionDisclaimer":0,"allViews":0,"allViewsMeta":{"pointOfView":[],"survey":[],"tweetId":0,"tweet2NdId":0,"displayOverlay":0},"storyTranslationMethod":[],"localisation":[],"path":"\/my-europe\/2025\/01\/30\/merkel-criticises-merz-for-teaming-up-with-germanys-far-right-on-migration-vote","lastModified":1738240520},{"id":2742576,"cid":9015220,"versionId":5,"archive":0,"housenumber":"250130_E3SU_57634995","owner":"euronews","isMagazine":0,"isBreakingNews":0,"daletEventName":"GERMANY ASYLUM VOTE PROTEST","channels":[{"id":1},{"id":2},{"id":4},{"id":5},{"id":10},{"id":12},{"id":14}],"status":2,"title":"Hundreds in Berlin protest stricter migration policy push backed by far-right","titleSeo":null,"titleListing1":"Hundreds of Germans protest against stricter migration policy push","titleListing2":"Hundreds protests in Germany against stricter migration policy backed by far-right","leadin":"The CDU's stricter migration policy, backed by the far-right AfD, has sparked protests in Berlin and heightened political tensions in Germany before the parliamentary elections.","summary":"The CDU's stricter migration policy, backed by the far-right AfD, has sparked protests in Berlin and heightened political tensions in Germany before the parliamentary elections.","keySentence":"","url":"hundreds-protests-in-germany-against-stricter-migration-policy-backed-by-far-right","canonical":"https:\/\/www.euronews.com\/my-europe\/2025\/01\/29\/hundreds-protests-in-germany-against-stricter-migration-policy-backed-by-far-right","masterCms":"v2","plainText":"Hundreds of Germans gathered in front of the centre-right CDU party's headquarters in Berlin in protest against the passing of a stricter migration policy seeking to turn back more migrants at the country's borders.\n\nThe proposal was put forward by the CDU leader Friedrich Merz and has drawn criticism as it was only able to pass with the backing of the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party.\n\nMerz has put migration in the spotlight following a knife attack a week ago by an Afghan asylum seeker who killed a man and a 2-year-old boy. \n\nThe opposition leader presented two non-binding motions in parliament calling for heightened security measures and the closure of German land borders to irregular migration.\n\nThe motion favouring more rejections of asylum seekers on Germany's borders passed by 348 votes to 345, with 10 abstentions, after a group of opposition parties, including AfD, said they would back it. \n\nFar-right lawmakers applauded the result, while the parliamentary leader of Scholz's party, Rolf M\u00fctzenich, said Merz's Union bloc had \u201cbroken out of the political centre\u201d.\n\nA second CDU-CSU motion with comprehensive reform proposals for a restrictive migration policy and additional powers for the security authorities was rejected by a majority of votes. \n\nMerz's proposals, supported by the far-right, have heightened political tensions in Germany, especially since the CDU was part of the initiative to maintain a \"firewall\" against collaboration with the AfD.\n\nAddressing the German Parliament prior to the vote, Merz advocated for his policy and its backing from the AfD, stating: \"A correct decision doesn\u2019t lose its validity just because the wrong people support it. It stays correct. It stays correct.\"\n\nThe vote comes just weeks before German voters elect a new parliament after Scholz's three-party governing coalition collapsed at the end of 2024. \n\nPolls show Merz's centre-right CDU in the lead with around 30% support, the AfD is second with about 20%, and Scholz's centre-left Social Democrats and their remaining coalition partners, the Greens, are further back. \n\n","htmlText":"Hundreds of Germans gathered in front of the centre-right CDU party's headquarters in Berlin in protest against the passing of a stricter migration policy seeking to turn back more migrants at the country's borders.<\/p>\nThe proposal was put forward by the CDU leader Friedrich Merz and has drawn criticism as it was only able to pass with the backing of the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party.<\/p>\nMerz has put migration in the spotlight following a knife attack a week ago by an Afghan asylum seeker who killed a man and a 2-year-old boy. <\/p>\nThe opposition leader presented two non-binding motions in parliament calling for heightened security measures and the closure of German land borders to irregular migration.<\/p>\nThe motion favouring more rejections of asylum seekers on Germany's borders passed by 348 votes to 345, with 10 abstentions, after a group of opposition parties, including AfD, said they would back it. <\/p>\nFar-right lawmakers applauded the result, while the parliamentary leader of Scholz's party, Rolf M\u00fctzenich, said Merz's Union bloc had \u201cbroken out of the political centre\u201d.<\/p>\nA second CDU-CSU motion with comprehensive reform proposals for a restrictive migration policy and additional powers for the security authorities was rejected by a majority of votes. <\/p>\n<div class=\"widget widget--type-image widget--size-fullwidth widget--animation-fade-in widget--align-center\" data-ratio=\"0.5625\">\n <div class=\"widget__wrapper\">\n <div class=\"widget__ratio widget__ratio--auto\">\n <div class=\"widget__contents\">\n <figure class=\"widget__figure\">\n <img class=\"widgetImage__image\" loading=\"lazy\" src=https://www.euronews.com/"https:////static.euronews.com//articles//stories//09//01//52//20//808x454_cmsv2_802699ee-cee5-51a1-952a-5e74951a428e-9015220.jpg/" alt=\"German opposition leader Friedrich Merz speaks at a debate about migration at the German parliament Bundestag in Berlin.\" srcset=\"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/01\/52\/20\/384x216_cmsv2_802699ee-cee5-51a1-952a-5e74951a428e-9015220.jpg 384w, https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/01\/52\/20\/640x360_cmsv2_802699ee-cee5-51a1-952a-5e74951a428e-9015220.jpg 640w, https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/01\/52\/20\/750x422_cmsv2_802699ee-cee5-51a1-952a-5e74951a428e-9015220.jpg 750w, https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/01\/52\/20\/828x466_cmsv2_802699ee-cee5-51a1-952a-5e74951a428e-9015220.jpg 828w, https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/01\/52\/20\/1080x608_cmsv2_802699ee-cee5-51a1-952a-5e74951a428e-9015220.jpg 1080w, https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/01\/52\/20\/1200x675_cmsv2_802699ee-cee5-51a1-952a-5e74951a428e-9015220.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/01\/52\/20\/1920x1080_cmsv2_802699ee-cee5-51a1-952a-5e74951a428e-9015220.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 768px) 95vw, (max-width: 1024px) 80vw, (max-width: 1280px) 55vw, 728px\"\/>\n <figcaption class=\"widget__caption\">\n \n German opposition leader Friedrich Merz speaks at a debate about migration at the German parliament Bundestag in Berlin.<\/span>\n AP Photo\/Markus Schreiber<\/span>\n <\/span>\n <\/figcaption>\n <\/figure>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\nMerz's proposals, supported by the far-right, have heightened political tensions in Germany, especially since the CDU was part of the initiative to maintain a \"firewall\" against collaboration with the AfD.<\/p>\nAddressing the German Parliament prior to the vote, Merz advocated for his policy and its backing from the AfD, stating: \"A correct decision doesn\u2019t lose its validity just because the wrong people support it. It stays correct. It stays correct.\"<\/p>\nThe vote comes just weeks before German voters elect a new parliament after Scholz's three-party governing coalition collapsed at the end of 2024. <\/p>\nPolls show Merz's centre-right CDU in the lead with around 30% support, the AfD is second with about 20%, and Scholz's centre-left Social Democrats and their remaining coalition partners, the Greens, are further back. <\/p>\n","hashtag":null,"createdAt":1738183563,"updatedAt":1738748625,"publishedAt":1738191764,"firstPublishedAt":1738191764,"lastPublishedAt":1738748625,"expiresAt":0,"images":[{"sourceUrl":null,"sourceCredit":null,"callToActionUrl":null,"captionCredit":"EBU","altText":"Hundreds protest in front of the CDU headquarters in Berlin.","callToActionText":null,"width":960,"caption":"Hundreds protest in front of the CDU headquarters in Berlin.","url":"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/01\/52\/20\/{{w}}x{{h}}_cmsv2_af2765d7-bd21-58d9-9438-efd2b22138df-9015220.jpg","captionUrl":null,"height":540},{"sourceUrl":null,"sourceCredit":null,"callToActionUrl":null,"captionCredit":null,"altText":null,"callToActionText":null,"width":1600,"caption":null,"url":"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/01\/52\/20\/{{w}}x{{h}}_cmsv2_802699ee-cee5-51a1-952a-5e74951a428e-9015220.jpg","captionUrl":null,"height":900}],"authors":{"journalists":[],"producers":[],"videoEditor":[]},"keywords":[{"urlSafeValue":"germany","titleRaw":"Germany","id":125,"title":"Germany","slug":"germany"},{"urlSafeValue":"afd","titleRaw":"Alternative for Germany","id":17206,"title":"Alternative for Germany","slug":"afd"},{"urlSafeValue":"friedrich-merz","titleRaw":"Friedrich Merz","id":17640,"title":"Friedrich Merz","slug":"friedrich-merz"},{"urlSafeValue":"protestas","titleRaw":"Protests","id":27110,"title":"Protests","slug":"protestas"},{"urlSafeValue":"migration-policy","titleRaw":"Migration Policy","id":29210,"title":"Migration Policy","slug":"migration-policy"},{"urlSafeValue":"german-election-2025","titleRaw":"German election 2025","id":30264,"title":"German election 2025","slug":"german-election-2025"}],"widgets":[{"count":1,"slug":"image"}],"related":[{"id":2740548},{"id":2738552},{"id":2737450}],"technicalTags":[],"externalPartners":{"youtubeId":"Npe-zcOsE_Y","dailymotionId":"x9d8jn6"},"hasExternalVideo":1,"hasInternalOrExternalVideo":1,"video":1,"videos":[{"duration":82520,"editor":"","filesizeBytes":10740579,"format":"mp4","type":"normal","url":"https:\/\/video.euronews.com\/mp4\/med\/EN\/E3\/SU\/25\/01\/30\/en\/250130_E3SU_57634995_57635063_82520_003059_en.mp4","expiresAt":0,"quality":"md"},{"duration":82520,"editor":"","filesizeBytes":16391011,"format":"mp4","type":"normal","url":"https:\/\/video.euronews.com\/mp4\/EN\/E3\/SU\/25\/01\/30\/en\/250130_E3SU_57634995_57635063_82520_003059_en.mp4","expiresAt":0,"quality":"hd"}],"liveStream":[{"endDate":0,"startDate":0}],"scribbleLiveId":0,"scribbleLiveRibbon":0,"isLiveCoverage":0,"sourceId":1,"sources":[],"externalSource":"EBU & AP","additionalSources":"","additionalReporting":"Abby Chitty","freeField1":null,"freeField2":"","type":"normal","displayType":"default","program":{"id":"europe-news","urlSafeValue":"europe-news","title":"Europe News","online":1,"url":"https:\/\/www.euronews.com\/my-europe\/europe-news\/europe-news"},"vertical":"my-europe","verticals":[{"urlSafeValue":"my-europe","id":2,"title":"Europe","slug":"my-europe"}],"primaryVertical":{"id":2,"slug":"my-europe","urlSafeValue":"my-europe","title":"Europe"},"themes":[{"urlSafeValue":"europe-news","id":"europe-news","title":"Europe News","url":"\/my-europe\/europe-news"}],"primaryTheme":{"id":56,"urlSafeValue":"europe-news","title":"Europe News"},"advertising":0,"advertisingData":{"startDate":0,"endDate":0,"type":null,"slug":null,"title":null,"disclaimerLabelKey":null,"sponsor":null,"sponsorName":null,"sponsorUrl":null,"sponsorLogo":"","sponsorLogoReverse":"","isDfp":0},"geoLocation":{"lat":0,"lon":0},"location":1,"continent":{"id":104,"urlSafeValue":"europe","title":"Europe"},"country":{"id":125,"urlSafeValue":"germany","title":"Germany","url":"\/news\/europe\/germany"},"town":{"id":1734,"urlSafeValue":"berlin","title":"Berlin"},"contextualSignals":{"doubleVerify":{"ids":["84111001","84112003","84112005","84211001","84212004"],"slugs":["law_gov_t_and_politics_immigration","law_gov_t_and_politics_legal_politics","law_government_and_politics","society","society_ethnic_specific"]}},"grapeshot":null,"versions":[],"programDeliverable":{"slug":"sujet","format":"default"},"showOpinionDisclaimer":0,"allViews":0,"allViewsMeta":{"pointOfView":[],"survey":[],"tweetId":0,"tweet2NdId":0,"displayOverlay":0},"storyTranslationMethod":[],"localisation":[],"path":"\/my-europe\/2025\/01\/30\/hundreds-protests-in-germany-against-stricter-migration-policy-backed-by-far-right","lastModified":1738748625},{"id":2742258,"cid":9014096,"versionId":2,"archive":0,"housenumber":"250129_BUSU_57631303","owner":"euronews","isMagazine":0,"isBreakingNews":0,"daletEventName":"GERMANY ECONOMY","channels":[{"id":1},{"id":2},{"id":4},{"id":5},{"id":10},{"id":12},{"id":14}],"status":2,"title":"Germany cuts 2025 economic growth forecast to 0.3% amid structural challenges","titleSeo":null,"titleListing1":"Germany lowers 2025 economic growth forecast to 0.3%","titleListing2":"The uncertainty about US trade policy in the wake of Donald Trump's presidency is partly to blame, economy minister Robert Habeck said on Wednesday.","leadin":"The uncertainty about US trade policy in the wake of Donald Trump's presidency is partly to blame, economy minister Robert Habeck said on Wednesday.","summary":"The uncertainty about US trade policy in the wake of Donald Trump's presidency is partly to blame, economy minister Robert Habeck said on Wednesday.","keySentence":"","url":"germany-cuts-2025-economic-growth-forecast-to-03-amid-structural-challenges","canonical":"https:\/\/www.euronews.com\/business\/2025\/01\/29\/germany-cuts-2025-economic-growth-forecast-to-03-amid-structural-challenges","masterCms":"v2","plainText":"The German government has lowered its forecast for economic growth in Germany in 2025 to 0.3%, the country's economy minister said on Wednesday. \n\nThe new projection is much lower than the government's previous forecast of 1.1% growth, issued in October. \n\nGermany has managed no meaningful economic growth in the past four years as it has struggled to deal with major shifts in the global economy and with structural challenges of its own. Preliminary figures released two weeks ago showed that gross domestic product contracted by 0.2% last year, following a 0.3% decline in 2023.\n\nExport-oriented economies hit 'particularly hard'\n\nThe economy is one of the top issues in the campaign for an early German parliamentary election on 23 February. It is being held seven months before it was originally scheduled after Chancellor Olaf Scholz's three-party coalition collapsed in November in a dispute about how to revitalize the economy.\n\nContenders to lead the next government have made contrasting proposals on how to get it growing again.\n\nVice Chancellor Robert Habeck, who is also Germany's economy minister, said in a statement that \"the global crises of recent years have hit our industry- and export-oriented economy particularly hard\", although an energy crunch was headed off after Russia's full-scale invasion and inflation has fallen.\n\nDelayed reforms and held-back investments\n\nHe said it had become increasingly clear that Germany suffered from fundamental structural problems including a shortage of skilled labour, \"overflowing bureaucracy and investment weakness, in private as well as public investment\".\n\nHabeck pointed to \"the currently high uncertainty\" about US economic and trade policy and uncertainty about Germany's own post-election course as a brake on sentiment for investment and consumers.\n\nGermany's main industry lobby group on Tuesday issued an even gloomier outlook for this year. It forecast that the economy will shrink again, contracting by 0.1%.\n\n\"For years, governments have delayed important reforms, held back investments and made do with the status quo\", said Peter Leibinger, the head of the Federation of German Industries, or BDI.\n\n","htmlText":"The German government has lowered its forecast for economic growth in Germany in 2025 to 0.3%, the country's economy minister said on Wednesday. <\/p>\nThe new projection is much lower than the government's previous forecast of 1.1% growth, issued in October. <\/p>\nGermany has managed no meaningful economic growth in the past four years as it has struggled to deal with major shifts in the global economy and with structural challenges of its own. Preliminary figures released two weeks ago showed that gross domestic product contracted by 0.2% last year, following a 0.3% decline in 2023.<\/p>\n<h2>Export-oriented economies hit 'particularly hard'<\/h2>The economy is one of the top issues in the campaign for an early German parliamentary election on 23 February. It is being held seven months before it was originally scheduled after Chancellor Olaf Scholz's three-party coalition collapsed in November in a dispute about how to revitalize the economy.<\/p>\nContenders to lead the next government have made contrasting proposals on how to get it growing again.<\/p>\n<div class=\"c-widget-related\" data-stories-id=\"9008632,8990382\" data-event=\"widget_related\">\n <div class=\"c-widget-related__title\">\n Related<\/b>\n <\/div>\n <ul class=\"c-widget-related__list\">\n <li class=\"c-widget-related__item\"><a class=\"c-widget-related__article\" href=https://www.euronews.com/"https:////www.euronews.com//my-europe//2025//01//21//germanys-economic-sentiment-darkens-amid-trump-trade-risks-recession-fears/">Germany's economic sentiment darkens amid Trump trade risks, recession fears <\/a><\/li><li class=\"c-widget-related__item\"><a class=\"c-widget-related__article\" href=https://www.euronews.com/"https:////www.euronews.com//my-europe//2025//01//28//knife-attack-in-aschaffenburg-sparks-heated-debate-on-germanys-migration-policy/">Knife attack in Aschaffenburg sparks heated debate on Germany's migration policy<\/a><\/li>\n <\/ul>\n<\/div>\n\n\nVice Chancellor Robert Habeck, who is also Germany's economy minister, said in a statement that \"the global crises of recent years have hit our industry- and export-oriented economy particularly hard\", although an energy crunch was headed off after Russia's full-scale invasion and inflation has fallen.<\/p>\n<h2>Delayed reforms and held-back investments<\/h2>He said it had become increasingly clear that Germany suffered from fundamental structural problems including a shortage of skilled labour, \"overflowing bureaucracy and investment weakness, in private as well as public investment\".<\/p>\nHabeck pointed to \"the currently high uncertainty\" about US economic and trade policy and uncertainty about Germany's own post-election course as a brake on sentiment for investment and consumers.<\/p>\nGermany's main industry lobby group on Tuesday issued an even gloomier outlook for this year. It forecast that the economy will shrink again, contracting by 0.1%.<\/p>\n\"For years, governments have delayed important reforms, held back investments and made do with the status quo\", said Peter Leibinger, the head of the Federation of German Industries, or BDI.<\/p>\n","hashtag":null,"createdAt":1738159957,"updatedAt":1738176978,"publishedAt":1738171811,"firstPublishedAt":1738171811,"lastPublishedAt":1738176978,"expiresAt":0,"images":[{"sourceUrl":null,"sourceCredit":null,"callToActionUrl":null,"captionCredit":"Ebrahim Noroozi\/Copyright 2025 The AP. All rights reserved.","altText":"German Economy and Climate Minister Robert Habeck attends the cabinet meeting at the chancellery in Berlin, Germany, Wednesday, Jan. 29, 2025.","callToActionText":null,"width":1024,"caption":"German Economy and Climate Minister Robert Habeck attends the cabinet meeting at the chancellery in Berlin, Germany, Wednesday, Jan. 29, 2025.","url":"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/01\/40\/96\/{{w}}x{{h}}_cmsv2_0607f194-4f69-567f-98f8-aa44845fdc55-9014096.jpg","captionUrl":null,"height":683}],"authors":{"journalists":[{"urlSafeValue":"armstrong-r","twitter":null,"id":2726,"title":"Rory Elliott Armstrong"}],"producers":[],"videoEditor":[{"urlSafeValue":"armstrong-r","twitter":null,"id":2726,"title":"Rory Elliott Armstrong"}]},"keywords":[{"urlSafeValue":"germany","titleRaw":"Germany","id":125,"title":"Germany","slug":"germany"},{"urlSafeValue":"economy","titleRaw":"Economy","id":572,"title":"Economy","slug":"economy"},{"urlSafeValue":"parliamentary-elections","titleRaw":"Parliamentary elections","id":9287,"title":"Parliamentary elections","slug":"parliamentary-elections"},{"urlSafeValue":"robert-habeck","titleRaw":"Robert Habeck","id":22566,"title":"Robert Habeck","slug":"robert-habeck"},{"urlSafeValue":"export","titleRaw":"export","id":15854,"title":"export","slug":"export"},{"urlSafeValue":"tariffs","titleRaw":"tariffs","id":15432,"title":"tariffs","slug":"tariffs"}],"widgets":[{"count":1,"slug":"related"}],"related":[{"id":2499572},{"id":2740972},{"id":2734242}],"technicalTags":[],"externalPartners":{"youtubeId":"S3BeiEYe9Xg","dailymotionId":"x9d7yce"},"hasExternalVideo":1,"hasInternalOrExternalVideo":1,"video":1,"videos":[{"duration":68400,"editor":"","filesizeBytes":8721810,"format":"mp4","type":"normal","url":"https:\/\/video.euronews.com\/mp4\/med\/EN\/BU\/SU\/25\/01\/29\/en\/250129_BUSU_57631303_57633568_68400_180611_en.mp4","expiresAt":0,"quality":"md"},{"duration":68400,"editor":"","filesizeBytes":12934546,"format":"mp4","type":"normal","url":"https:\/\/video.euronews.com\/mp4\/EN\/BU\/SU\/25\/01\/29\/en\/250129_BUSU_57631303_57633568_68400_180611_en.mp4","expiresAt":0,"quality":"hd"}],"liveStream":[{"endDate":0,"startDate":0}],"scribbleLiveId":0,"scribbleLiveRibbon":0,"isLiveCoverage":0,"sourceId":1,"sources":[],"externalSource":"AP, EBU","additionalSources":"","additionalReporting":"","freeField1":null,"freeField2":"","type":"normal","displayType":"default","program":{"id":"business","urlSafeValue":"business","title":"Business","online":0,"url":"https:\/\/www.euronews.com\/business\/business\/business"},"vertical":"business","verticals":[{"urlSafeValue":"business","id":11,"title":"Business","slug":"business"}],"primaryVertical":{"id":11,"slug":"business","urlSafeValue":"business","title":"Business"},"themes":[{"urlSafeValue":"business","id":"business","title":"Business","url":"\/business\/business"}],"primaryTheme":{"id":7,"urlSafeValue":"business","title":"Business"},"advertising":0,"advertisingData":{"startDate":0,"endDate":0,"type":null,"slug":null,"title":null,"disclaimerLabelKey":null,"sponsor":null,"sponsorName":null,"sponsorUrl":null,"sponsorLogo":"","sponsorLogoReverse":"","isDfp":0},"geoLocation":{"lat":0,"lon":0},"location":1,"continent":{"id":104,"urlSafeValue":"europe","title":"Europe"},"country":{"id":125,"urlSafeValue":"germany","title":"Germany","url":"\/news\/europe\/germany"},"town":{"id":1734,"urlSafeValue":"berlin","title":"Berlin"},"contextualSignals":{"doubleVerify":{"ids":["84111001","84112001","84211001","84212001"],"slugs":["law_government_and_politics","law_government_and_politics_general","society","society_general"]}},"grapeshot":null,"versions":[],"programDeliverable":{"slug":"sujet","format":"default"},"showOpinionDisclaimer":0,"allViews":0,"allViewsMeta":{"pointOfView":[],"survey":[],"tweetId":0,"tweet2NdId":0,"displayOverlay":0},"storyTranslationMethod":[],"localisation":[],"path":"\/business\/2025\/01\/29\/germany-cuts-2025-economic-growth-forecast-to-03-amid-structural-challenges","lastModified":1738176978},{"id":2724434,"cid":8962376,"versionId":2,"archive":0,"housenumber":"250122_EESU_57478938","owner":"euronews","isMagazine":1,"isBreakingNews":0,"daletEventName":"EE-13-ES 13 - CANNABIS - MASTER","channels":[{"id":1},{"id":2},{"id":4},{"id":5},{"id":10},{"id":12},{"id":14}],"status":2,"title":"Cannabis legalisation in Germany: a European dilemma?","titleSeo":null,"titleListing1":null,"titleListing2":"Cannabis legalisation in Germany: a European dilemma?","leadin":"Last spring, hundreds of people gathered under the Brandenburg Gate in Berlin to celebrate the legalisation of recreational cannabis use in Germany.","summary":"Last spring, hundreds of people gathered under the Brandenburg Gate in Berlin to celebrate the legalisation of recreational cannabis use in Germany.","keySentence":"","url":"cannabis-legalisation-in-germany-a-european-dilemma","canonical":"https:\/\/www.euronews.com\/2025\/01\/29\/cannabis-legalisation-in-germany-a-european-dilemma","masterCms":"v2","plainText":"The law aims to counter a growing illicit market in Europe, although some fear it will encourage consumption among young people. Germany is the third EU country to legalise cannabis, sparking a debate across Europe.\n\nCannabis is the most widely used illicit drug in Europe, with almost a third of adults having tried it at least once. While possession and consumption are illegal in most countries, nine tolerate certain practices, and cannabis is legal under certain conditions in Luxembourg, Malta and Germany.\n\nImpact on the therapeutic market\n\nThe new German legalisation also opens up prospects for the medical cannabis market. As for Demecan, one of the largest producers of medical cannabis in Europe\u00a0\n\n\u201cUntil April, we were only allowed to grow two varieties of plants, chosen by the government, which we had to deliver directly to them. We are now free to produce new varieties that we no longer have to sell to the state, but that we can sell directly to pharmacies and patients,\u201d explains Adrian Fischer, co-founder of Demecan.\u00a0\n\n\u201cThe market is much more accessible. Previously, prescribing medical cannabis in Germany was very difficult. And that is no longer the case. We have seen a market growth of almost 50% from one quarter to the next in Germany.\u201d\n\nAn impossible progression for cannabis social clubs, non-profit associations, the only ones authorized to distribute recreational cannabis.\n\n\"Users must either grow it themselves or join these clubs that are highly regulated and are not allowed to make money,\" explains Adrian Fischer.\u00a0\n\nA project to create specialized and controlled stores, planned in an initial version of the new law, was abandoned, under European regulations prohibiting drug trade.\n\nEuropean regulations\n\nA legislation that deserves to be clarified, according to Adrian Fischer, calling for common European rules for both the medical cannabis market and the recreational cannabis market.\n\nBrendan Hughes, a lawyer at EUDA, the European drugs agency, discusses the conflicting objectives of legalization: combating the illegal market while avoiding the normalisation of consumption.\u00a0\n\nThe economic benefits of a regulated legalisation of recreational cannabis, in the form of tax revenues, are also part of the ongoing debate, observes Brendan Hughes. But the emphasis is more on controlling the quality of the product, underlines the scientist.\u00a0\n\n\u201cSecurity is something that Europe puts forward much more than the idea of \u200b\u200bmaking money.\u201d\n\nThe debate is underway in several countries of the European Union.\n\nThe experiment conducted in Germany could however be short-lived.\u00a0\n\nThe conservative parties, given favorites in the elections next February, have stated their intention to revoke the law on the regulated use of recreational cannabis.\u00a0\n\n\u00a0\n\n","htmlText":"The law aims to counter a growing illicit market in Europe, although some fear it will encourage consumption among young people. Germany is the third EU country to legalise cannabis, sparking a debate across Europe.<\/strong><\/p>\nCannabis is the most widely used illicit drug in Europe, with almost a third of adults having tried it at least once. While possession and consumption are illegal in most countries, nine tolerate certain practices, and cannabis is legal under certain conditions in Luxembourg, Malta and Germany.<\/p>\n<h2>Impact on the therapeutic market<\/h2>The new German legalisation also opens up prospects for the medical cannabis market. As for Demecan, one of the largest producers of medical cannabis in Europe\u00a0<\/p>\n\u201cUntil April, we were only allowed to grow two varieties of plants, chosen by the government, which we had to deliver directly to them. We are now free to produce new varieties that we no longer have to sell to the state, but that we can sell directly to pharmacies and patients,\u201d explains Adrian Fischer, co-founder of Demecan.\u00a0<\/p>\n\u201cThe market is much more accessible. Previously, prescribing medical cannabis in Germany was very difficult. And that is no longer the case. We have seen a market growth of almost 50% from one quarter to the next in Germany.\u201d<\/p>\nAn impossible progression for cannabis social clubs, non-profit associations, the only ones authorized to distribute recreational cannabis.<\/p>\n\"Users must either grow it themselves or join these clubs that are highly regulated and are not allowed to make money,\" explains Adrian Fischer.\u00a0<\/p>\nA project to create specialized and controlled stores, planned in an initial version of the new law, was abandoned, under European regulations prohibiting drug trade.<\/p>\n<h2>European regulations<\/h2>A legislation that deserves to be clarified, according to Adrian Fischer, calling for common European rules for both the medical cannabis market and the recreational cannabis market.<\/p>\nBrendan Hughes, a lawyer at EUDA, the European drugs agency, discusses the conflicting objectives of legalization: combating the illegal market while avoiding the normalisation of consumption.\u00a0<\/p>\nThe economic benefits of a regulated legalisation of recreational cannabis, in the form of tax revenues, are also part of the ongoing debate, observes Brendan Hughes. But the emphasis is more on controlling the quality of the product, underlines the scientist.\u00a0<\/p>\n\u201cSecurity is something that Europe puts forward much more than the idea of \u200b\u200bmaking money.\u201d<\/p>\nThe debate is underway in several countries of the European Union.<\/p>\nThe experiment conducted in Germany could however be short-lived.\u00a0<\/p>\nThe conservative parties, given favorites in the elections next February, have stated their intention to revoke the law on the regulated use of recreational cannabis.\u00a0<\/p>\n\u00a0<\/p>\n","hashtag":null,"createdAt":1736508852,"updatedAt":1738308293,"publishedAt":1738168854,"firstPublishedAt":1738170054,"lastPublishedAt":1738308293,"expiresAt":0,"images":[{"sourceUrl":null,"sourceCredit":null,"callToActionUrl":null,"captionCredit":"Euronews","altText":null,"callToActionText":null,"width":1920,"caption":null,"url":"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/08\/96\/23\/78\/{{w}}x{{h}}_cmsv2_dac1d40c-58df-5e7c-b78b-5cd811c71734-8962378.jpg","captionUrl":null,"height":1080}],"authors":{"journalists":[],"producers":[{"urlSafeValue":"gauriat","twitter":"@valgauriat","id":28,"title":"Val\u00e9rie Gauriat"}],"videoEditor":[]},"keywords":[{"urlSafeValue":"drug-trafficking","titleRaw":"Drug-trafficking","id":9515,"title":"Drug-trafficking","slug":"drug-trafficking"},{"urlSafeValue":"health","titleRaw":"Health","id":139,"title":"Health","slug":"health"},{"urlSafeValue":"germany","titleRaw":"Germany","id":125,"title":"Germany","slug":"germany"},{"urlSafeValue":"medical-research","titleRaw":"Medical research","id":7928,"title":"Medical research","slug":"medical-research"}],"widgets":[],"related":[],"technicalTags":[],"externalPartners":{"youtubeId":"H-XG_zBAoE4","dailymotionId":"x9d7v1k"},"hasExternalVideo":1,"hasInternalOrExternalVideo":1,"video":1,"videos":[{"duration":480000,"editor":"","filesizeBytes":58548585,"format":"mp4","type":"normal","url":"https:\/\/video.euronews.com\/mp4\/med\/EN\/EE\/SU\/25\/01\/22\/en\/250122_EESU_57478938_57479247_480000_191122_en.mp4","expiresAt":0,"quality":"md"},{"duration":480000,"editor":"","filesizeBytes":88935273,"format":"mp4","type":"normal","url":"https:\/\/video.euronews.com\/mp4\/EN\/EE\/SU\/25\/01\/22\/en\/250122_EESU_57478938_57479247_480000_191122_en.mp4","expiresAt":0,"quality":"hd"}],"liveStream":[{"endDate":0,"startDate":0}],"scribbleLiveId":0,"scribbleLiveRibbon":0,"isLiveCoverage":0,"sourceId":1,"sources":[],"externalSource":null,"additionalSources":null,"additionalReporting":null,"freeField1":null,"freeField2":"","type":"normal","displayType":"default","program":{"id":"europeans-stories","urlSafeValue":"europeans-stories","title":"Europeans' Stories","online":1,"url":"https:\/\/www.euronews.com\/my-europe\/my-europe-series\/europeans-stories"},"vertical":"my-europe","verticals":[{"urlSafeValue":"my-europe","id":2,"title":"Europe","slug":"my-europe"}],"primaryVertical":{"id":2,"slug":"my-europe","urlSafeValue":"my-europe","title":"Europe"},"themes":[{"urlSafeValue":"my-europe-series","id":"my-europe-series","title":"My Europe Series","url":"\/my-europe\/my-europe-series"}],"primaryTheme":{"id":60,"urlSafeValue":"my-europe-series","title":"Europe Series"},"advertising":0,"advertisingData":{"startDate":0,"endDate":0,"type":null,"slug":null,"title":null,"disclaimerLabelKey":null,"sponsor":null,"sponsorName":null,"sponsorUrl":null,"sponsorLogo":"","sponsorLogoReverse":"","isDfp":0},"geoLocation":{"lat":0,"lon":0},"location":1,"continent":{"id":104,"urlSafeValue":"europe","title":"Europe"},"country":{"id":125,"urlSafeValue":"germany","title":"Germany","url":"\/news\/europe\/germany"},"town":[],"contextualSignals":{"doubleVerify":{"ids":[],"slugs":[]}},"grapeshot":null,"versions":[],"programDeliverable":{"slug":"sujet","format":"default"},"showOpinionDisclaimer":0,"allViews":0,"allViewsMeta":{"pointOfView":[],"survey":[],"tweetId":0,"tweet2NdId":0,"displayOverlay":0},"storyTranslationMethod":[],"localisation":[],"path":"\/my-europe\/2025\/01\/29\/cannabis-legalisation-in-germany-a-european-dilemma","lastModified":1738308293},{"id":2742056,"cid":9013392,"versionId":13,"archive":0,"housenumber":"250129_E3SU_57629756","owner":"euronews","isMagazine":0,"isBreakingNews":0,"daletEventName":"MERZ SET TO PROPOSE MIGRATION OVERHAUL TO BUNDESTAG","channels":[{"id":1},{"id":2},{"id":4},{"id":5},{"id":10},{"id":12},{"id":14}],"status":2,"title":"German opposition leader Merz's migration plan passes parliament ","titleSeo":null,"titleListing1":"German opposition leader Merz's migration plan passes parliament","titleListing2":"German opposition leader Merz passes migration overhaul package through parliament","leadin":"The CDU party chief, who leads in the polls to become the next chancellor, said he would collect votes from all parties to push his five-point migration plan through parliament despite Chancellor Olaf Scholz's strong opposition.","summary":"The CDU party chief, who leads in the polls to become the next chancellor, said he would collect votes from all parties to push his five-point migration plan through parliament despite Chancellor Olaf Scholz's strong opposition.","keySentence":"","url":"germanys-opposition-leader-merz-vows-to-push-asylum-law-change-through-parliament","canonical":"https:\/\/www.euronews.com\/my-europe\/2025\/01\/29\/germanys-opposition-leader-merz-vows-to-push-asylum-law-change-through-parliament","masterCms":"v2","plainText":"The German Bundestag passed Friedrich Merz's so-called five-point migration plan \u2014 which promised a dramatic tightening of the country's migration and asylum law \u2014 through parliament. \n\nMPs narrowly voted in favour of turning away asylum seekers and other migrants back at Germany's borders \u2014 despite criticism that this could break both German and EU asylum law. \n\nThe measure is non-binding, but Merz could now push for a decision on the law's passage through parliament as soon as this week. \n\nAhead of the vote, Merz, the Christian Democratic Union (CDU) leader and candidate for chancellor in the upcoming election, was accused of backtracking on his position of not working with the Alternative for Germany (AfD) and breaching the so-called \"firewall\" against the far-right party to pass the measures. \n\nThe AfD chief whip Bernd Baumann called its success a \"historic moment,\" adding that a \"countermovement against the left-green mainstream\" in all Western countries had now arrived in Germany. \n\nScholz: 'Unforgivable mistake'\n\nChancellor Olaf Scholz called Merz's decision to accept votes from the AfD an \"unforgiveable mistake\" in a fiery debate ahead of the vote. \n\nScholz pointed out that Merz's proposals contradicted European-wide asylum law such as the Geneva Convention as well as German law. \n\nHe said that Merz's proposals would violate EU law, something that \u201cno German chancellor would have ever done.\u201d\n\nMerz, for his part, said the European immigration and asylum system was \"dysfunctional\" and insisted that his measures were necessary to combat crimes committed by asylum seekers. \n\nHe addressed the widespread criticism that he was working with the far-right, saying that getting votes from the AfD would make him \"extremely uncomfortable\". However, Merz ultimately concluded it would be necessary to deal with violence in Germany. \n\nMerz's proposals followed a knife attack in the Bavarian city of Aschaffenburg last week, where two people were killed by an asylum seeker from Afghanistan who was scheduled to be deported. \n\nHe directly addressed the attack as well as another attack in Magdeburg shortly before Christmas, in which a Saudi-born doctor rammed a car into a Christmas market, killing six people. \n\n\u201cHow many more people have to be murdered? How many more children have to fall victims to such acts of violence before you believe that this is a threat to public safety and order?,\u201d Merz asked parliament ahead of the vote. \n\nMerz and the CDU are currently leading in the polls with 29% of the vote ahead of the country's federal elections scheduled for 23 February. \n\nThe poll released on Wednesday by YouGov shows the AfD in second place with 23% and Scholz's Social Democrats in third place with 15%. \n\n","htmlText":"The German Bundestag passed Friedrich Merz's so-called five-point migration plan \u2014 which promised a dramatic tightening of the country's migration and asylum law \u2014 through parliament. <\/p>\nMPs narrowly voted in favour of turning away asylum seekers and other migrants back at Germany's borders \u2014 despite criticism that this could break both German and EU asylum law. <\/p>\nThe measure is non-binding, but Merz could now push for a decision on the law's passage through parliament as soon as this week. <\/p>\nAhead of the vote, Merz, the Christian Democratic Union (CDU) leader and candidate for chancellor in the upcoming election, was accused of backtracking on his position of not working with the Alternative for Germany (AfD) and breaching the so-called \"firewall\" against the far-right party to pass the measures. <\/p>\nThe AfD chief whip Bernd Baumann called its success a \"historic moment,\" adding that a \"countermovement against the left-green mainstream\" in all Western countries had now arrived in Germany. <\/p>\n<h2>Scholz: 'Unforgivable mistake'<\/h2>Chancellor Olaf Scholz called Merz's decision to accept votes from the AfD an \"unforgiveable mistake\" in a fiery debate ahead of the vote. <\/p>\n<div class=\"c-widget-related\" data-stories-id=\"9000162,8997602\" data-event=\"widget_related\">\n <div class=\"c-widget-related__title\">\n Related<\/b>\n <\/div>\n <ul class=\"c-widget-related__list\">\n <li class=\"c-widget-related__item\"><a class=\"c-widget-related__article\" href=https://www.euronews.com/"https:////www.euronews.com//my-europe//2025//01//24//germanys-opposition-leader-merz-under-fire-for-vowing-migration-crackdown/">Germany's opposition leader Merz under fire for vowing migration crackdown<\/a><\/li><li class=\"c-widget-related__item\"><a class=\"c-widget-related__article\" href=https://www.euronews.com/"https:////www.euronews.com//2025//01//23//german-cdu-leader-friedrich-merz-vows-to-toughen-migration-policy/">German CDU leader Friedrich Merz vows to toughen migration policy<\/a><\/li>\n <\/ul>\n<\/div>\n\n\nScholz pointed out that Merz's proposals contradicted European-wide asylum law such as the Geneva Convention as well as German law. <\/p>\nHe said that Merz's proposals would violate EU law, something that \u201cno German chancellor would have ever done.\u201d<\/p>\nMerz, for his part, said the European immigration and asylum system was \"dysfunctional\" and insisted that his measures were necessary to combat crimes committed by asylum seekers. <\/p>\nHe addressed the widespread criticism that he was working with the far-right, saying that getting votes from the AfD would make him \"extremely uncomfortable\". However, Merz ultimately concluded it would be necessary to deal with violence in Germany. <\/p>\nMerz's proposals followed a knife attack in the Bavarian city of Aschaffenburg last week, where two people were killed by an asylum seeker from Afghanistan who was scheduled to be deported. <\/p>\nHe directly addressed the attack as well as another attack in Magdeburg shortly before Christmas, in which a Saudi-born doctor rammed a car into a Christmas market, killing six people. <\/p>\n\u201cHow many more people have to be murdered? How many more children have to fall victims to such acts of violence before you believe that this is a threat to public safety and order?,\u201d Merz asked parliament ahead of the vote. <\/p>\nMerz and the CDU are currently leading in the polls with 29% of the vote ahead of the country's federal elections scheduled for 23 February. <\/p>\nThe poll released on Wednesday by YouGov shows the AfD in second place with 23% and Scholz's Social Democrats in third place with 15%. <\/p>\n","hashtag":null,"createdAt":1738148951,"updatedAt":1738224669,"publishedAt":1738154509,"firstPublishedAt":1738154509,"lastPublishedAt":1738224669,"expiresAt":0,"images":[{"sourceUrl":null,"sourceCredit":null,"callToActionUrl":null,"captionCredit":"AP Photo","altText":"Friedrich Merz, Federal Chairman of the CDU and leader of the CDU\/CSU parliamentary group in the Bundestag, speaks at the discussion event.","callToActionText":null,"width":1024,"caption":"Friedrich Merz, Federal Chairman of the CDU and leader of the CDU\/CSU parliamentary group in the Bundestag, speaks at the discussion event.","url":"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/01\/33\/92\/{{w}}x{{h}}_cmsv2_7be8789d-4440-5e47-97f4-1bd76dd282c6-9013392.jpg","captionUrl":null,"height":576}],"authors":{"journalists":[{"urlSafeValue":"paternoster","twitter":null,"id":2940,"title":"Tamsin Paternoster"}],"producers":[],"videoEditor":[]},"keywords":[{"urlSafeValue":"germany","titleRaw":"Germany","id":125,"title":"Germany","slug":"germany"},{"urlSafeValue":"bundestag","titleRaw":"Bundestag","id":7903,"title":"Bundestag","slug":"bundestag"},{"urlSafeValue":"immigration","titleRaw":"Immigration","id":147,"title":"Immigration","slug":"immigration"},{"urlSafeValue":"afd-alternative-fur-deutschland","titleRaw":"AfD Alternative f\u00fcr Deutschland","id":17832,"title":"AfD Alternative f\u00fcr Deutschland","slug":"afd-alternative-fur-deutschland"},{"urlSafeValue":"german-election-2025","titleRaw":"German election 2025","id":30264,"title":"German election 2025","slug":"german-election-2025"},{"urlSafeValue":"friedrich-merz","titleRaw":"Friedrich Merz","id":17640,"title":"Friedrich 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MIGRATION DEBATE","channels":[{"id":1},{"id":2},{"id":3},{"id":4},{"id":5},{"id":10},{"id":12},{"id":14}],"status":2,"title":"Knife attack in Aschaffenburg sparks heated debate on Germany's migration policy","titleSeo":null,"titleListing1":"Germany's Aschaffenburg stabbing ignites fierce migration debate","titleListing2":"Knife attack in Aschaffenburg sparks heated debate on Germany's migration policy","leadin":"The attack in Aschaffenburg is the latest in a series of violent incidents in Germany, intensifying fears surrounding migration and increasing support for the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD).","summary":"The attack in Aschaffenburg is the latest in a series of violent incidents in Germany, intensifying fears surrounding migration and increasing support for the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD).","keySentence":"","url":"knife-attack-in-aschaffenburg-sparks-heated-debate-on-germanys-migration-policy","canonical":"https:\/\/www.euronews.com\/my-europe\/2025\/01\/28\/knife-attack-in-aschaffenburg-sparks-heated-debate-on-germanys-migration-policy","masterCms":"v2","plainText":"Germany\u2019s migration debate has once again been thrown into the spotlight after a man and a child were killed in a knife attack by a former Afghan asylum-seeker who had been told to leave the country.\u00a0\n\nThe incident in Aschaffenburg, occurring just weeks before Germany's parliamentary elections, has prompted opposition parties to leverage the attack as a platform to advocate for stricter migration policies.\n\nLeader of the centre-right CDU party, Friedrich Merz, has already vowed to impose immediate border controls if he becomes chancellor, proposing two motions on migration and a bill into the Bundestag.\n\nThese include the turning away of all 'illegal immigrants' at the border, regardless of whether they are seeking protection, and a departure from the EU's Schengen principle of free movement within the bloc.\n\n\"We are faced with the ruins of a ten-year-long misguided asylum and immigration policy in Germany,\" Merz told reporters.\n\nBut the debate is not just about policy - it has also raised the question of which party could vote with whom.\n\nUnion chancellor candidate Friedrich Merz in particular fuelled the debate with his statement that he did not care which political party the Union's proposal received a majority from, even if it was the far-right AfD. \n\n \"These are actually our demands on limiting migration. That is why we are voting in favour\", said Bernd Baumann of the AfD parliamentary group.\n\nSupport for the AfD has been growing steadily in Germany, with the party now polling in second place behind the CDU.\n\nAlthough Merz has claimed he does not want votes from the AfD, left-wing parties fear Merz\u2019s rhetoric implies his party could be open to collaboration with the far-right.\n\n\"The AfD can hardly believe their luck. It has reached exactly the point where it always wanted the CDU\/CSU to be,\" says Felix Banaszak, Chairman of Alliance 90\/The Greens.\n\nMeanwhile, the ruling SPD is reintroducing draft legislation on migration and security to the Bundestag - something it had previously failed to do due to opposition from the CDU.\n\n\"More powers for our security authorities, for example when it comes to additional powers in the area of investigative tools. This concerns the issue of biometric matching with publicly accessible internet data,\" says Matthias Miersch, Secretary General of the SPD.\n\nBut with just four weeks to go and a growing wave of discontent pushing voters to the right, SPD Chancellor Olaf Scholz is rapidly running out of time to win over the electorate.\n\n","htmlText":"Germany\u2019s migration debate has once again been thrown into the spotlight after a man and a child were killed in a knife attack by a former Afghan asylum-seeker who had been told to leave the country.\u00a0<\/p>\nThe incident in Aschaffenburg, occurring just weeks before Germany's parliamentary elections, has prompted opposition parties to leverage the attack as a platform to advocate for stricter migration policies.<\/p>\nLeader of the centre-right CDU party, Friedrich Merz, has already vowed to impose immediate border controls if he becomes chancellor, proposing two motions on migration and a bill into the Bundestag.<\/p>\nThese include the turning away of all 'illegal immigrants' at the border, regardless of whether they are seeking protection, and a departure from the EU's Schengen principle of free movement within the bloc.<\/p>\n\"We are faced with the ruins of a ten-year-long misguided asylum and immigration policy in Germany,\" Merz told reporters.<\/p>\nBut the debate is not just about policy - it has also raised the question of which party could vote with whom.<\/p>\nUnion chancellor candidate Friedrich Merz in particular fuelled the debate with his statement that he did not care which political party the Union's proposal received a majority from, even if it was the far-right AfD. <\/p>\n<div class=\"widget widget--type-image widget--size-fullwidth widget--animation-fade-in widget--align-center\" data-ratio=\"0.5625\">\n <div class=\"widget__wrapper\">\n <div class=\"widget__ratio widget__ratio--auto\">\n <div class=\"widget__contents\">\n <figure class=\"widget__figure\">\n <img class=\"widgetImage__image\" loading=\"lazy\" src=https://www.euronews.com/"https:////static.euronews.com//articles//stories//09//00//86//32//808x454_cmsv2_36dd53b5-205e-5d28-a2b3-b70a7f3d0687-9008632.jpg/" alt=\"Friedrich Merz, Federal Chairman of the CDU and leader of the CDU\/CSU parliamentary group in the Bundestag, speaks in Berlin.\" srcset=\"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/00\/86\/32\/384x216_cmsv2_36dd53b5-205e-5d28-a2b3-b70a7f3d0687-9008632.jpg 384w, https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/00\/86\/32\/640x360_cmsv2_36dd53b5-205e-5d28-a2b3-b70a7f3d0687-9008632.jpg 640w, https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/00\/86\/32\/750x422_cmsv2_36dd53b5-205e-5d28-a2b3-b70a7f3d0687-9008632.jpg 750w, https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/00\/86\/32\/828x466_cmsv2_36dd53b5-205e-5d28-a2b3-b70a7f3d0687-9008632.jpg 828w, https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/00\/86\/32\/1080x608_cmsv2_36dd53b5-205e-5d28-a2b3-b70a7f3d0687-9008632.jpg 1080w, https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/00\/86\/32\/1200x675_cmsv2_36dd53b5-205e-5d28-a2b3-b70a7f3d0687-9008632.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/00\/86\/32\/1920x1080_cmsv2_36dd53b5-205e-5d28-a2b3-b70a7f3d0687-9008632.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 768px) 95vw, (max-width: 1024px) 80vw, (max-width: 1280px) 55vw, 728px\"\/>\n <figcaption class=\"widget__caption\">\n \n Friedrich Merz, Federal Chairman of the CDU and leader of the CDU\/CSU parliamentary group in the Bundestag, speaks in Berlin.<\/span>\n Hannes P. Albert\/dpa via AP<\/span>\n <\/span>\n <\/figcaption>\n <\/figure>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n \"These are actually our demands on limiting migration. That is why we are voting in favour\", said Bernd Baumann of the AfD parliamentary group.<\/p>\nSupport for the AfD has been growing steadily in Germany, with the party now polling in second place behind the CDU.<\/p>\nAlthough Merz has claimed he does not want votes from the AfD, left-wing parties fear Merz\u2019s rhetoric implies his party could be open to collaboration with the far-right.<\/p>\n\"The AfD can hardly believe their luck. It has reached exactly the point where it always wanted the CDU\/CSU to be,\" says Felix Banaszak, Chairman of Alliance 90\/The Greens.<\/p>\nMeanwhile, the ruling SPD is reintroducing draft legislation on migration and security to the Bundestag - something it had previously failed to do due to opposition from the CDU.<\/p>\n\"More powers for our security authorities, for example when it comes to additional powers in the area of investigative tools. This concerns the issue of biometric matching with publicly accessible internet data,\" says Matthias Miersch, Secretary General of the SPD.<\/p>\nBut with just four weeks to go and a growing wave of discontent pushing voters to the right, SPD Chancellor Olaf Scholz is rapidly running out of time to win over the electorate.<\/p>\n","hashtag":null,"createdAt":1738011984,"updatedAt":1738023124,"publishedAt":1738022564,"firstPublishedAt":1738022564,"lastPublishedAt":1738022564,"expiresAt":0,"images":[{"url":"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/00\/86\/32\/{{w}}x{{h}}_cmsv2_8773b284-03b8-5e5f-a789-f3c6b9d00458-9008632.jpg","altText":"People gather in Aschaffenburg to honour a child and a man killed in a knife attack.","caption":"People gather in Aschaffenburg to honour a child and a man killed in a knife attack.","captionUrl":null,"captionCredit":"AP Photo","sourceUrl":null,"sourceCredit":null,"callToActionUrl":null,"callToActionText":null,"width":1600,"height":900},{"url":"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/00\/86\/32\/{{w}}x{{h}}_cmsv2_36dd53b5-205e-5d28-a2b3-b70a7f3d0687-9008632.jpg","altText":null,"caption":null,"captionUrl":null,"captionCredit":null,"sourceUrl":null,"sourceCredit":null,"callToActionUrl":null,"callToActionText":null,"width":1600,"height":900}],"authors":{"journalists":[],"producers":[],"videoEditor":[]},"keywords":[{"id":125,"slug":"germany","urlSafeValue":"germany","title":"Germany","titleRaw":"Germany"},{"id":29210,"slug":"migration-policy","urlSafeValue":"migration-policy","title":"Migration Policy","titleRaw":"Migration Policy"},{"id":9287,"slug":"parliamentary-elections","urlSafeValue":"parliamentary-elections","title":"Parliamentary elections","titleRaw":"Parliamentary elections"},{"id":11378,"slug":"far-right","urlSafeValue":"far-right","title":"Far-right","titleRaw":"Far-right"},{"id":13518,"slug":"stabbing","urlSafeValue":"stabbing","title":"stabbing","titleRaw":"stabbing"}],"widgets":[{"slug":"image","count":1}],"related":[{"id":2738552},{"id":2737450},{"id":2735274}],"technicalTags":[],"externalPartners":{"youtubeId":"pAYaxIvvjYA","dailymotionId":"x9d4nmo"},"hasExternalVideo":0,"hasInternalOrExternalVideo":0,"video":1,"videos":[{"duration":109640,"editor":"","filesizeBytes":13479143,"format":"mp4","type":"normal","url":"https:\/\/video.euronews.com\/mp4\/med\/EN\/E3\/SU\/25\/01\/28\/en\/250128_E3SU_57615306_57615385_109640_010530_en.mp4","expiresAt":0,"quality":"md"},{"duration":109640,"editor":"","filesizeBytes":19754215,"format":"mp4","type":"normal","url":"https:\/\/video.euronews.com\/mp4\/EN\/E3\/SU\/25\/01\/28\/en\/250128_E3SU_57615306_57615385_109640_010530_en.mp4","expiresAt":0,"quality":"hd"}],"liveStream":[{"startDate":0,"endDate":0}],"scribbleLiveId":0,"scribbleLiveRibbon":0,"isLiveCoverage":0,"sourceId":1,"sources":[],"externalSource":"EBU","additionalSources":"","additionalReporting":"Abby Chitty","freeField1":null,"freeField2":"","type":"normal","displayType":"default","program":{"id":"europe-news","urlSafeValue":"europe-news","title":"Europe News","online":1,"url":"https:\/\/www.euronews.com\/my-europe\/europe-news\/europe-news"},"vertical":"my-europe","verticals":[{"id":2,"slug":"my-europe","urlSafeValue":"my-europe","title":"Europe"}],"primaryVertical":{"id":2,"slug":"my-europe","urlSafeValue":"my-europe","title":"Europe"},"themes":[{"id":"europe-news","urlSafeValue":"europe-news","title":"Europe News","url":"\/my-europe\/europe-news"}],"primaryTheme":{"id":56,"urlSafeValue":"europe-news","title":"Europe News"},"advertising":0,"advertisingData":{"startDate":0,"endDate":0,"type":null,"slug":null,"title":null,"disclaimerLabelKey":null,"sponsor":null,"sponsorName":null,"sponsorUrl":null,"sponsorLogo":"","sponsorLogoReverse":"","isDfp":0},"geoLocation":{"lat":0,"lon":0},"location":1,"continent":{"id":104,"urlSafeValue":"europe","title":"Europe"},"country":{"id":125,"urlSafeValue":"germany","title":"Germany","url":"\/news\/europe\/germany"},"town":[],"contextualSignals":{"doubleVerify":{"ids":["80023001","80122003","80122006","80122022","80222003","80222006","80222022","84111001","84112003","84112005","84211001","84212001"],"slugs":["aggregated_all_moderate_content","crime_high_and_medium_risk","crime_high_medium_and_low_risk","death_and_injury_low_risk","death_and_injury_medium_risk","law_gov_t_and_politics_immigration","law_gov_t_and_politics_legal_politics","law_government_and_politics","society","society_general","violence_high_and_medium_risk","violence_high_medium_and_low_risk"]}},"grapeshot":null,"versions":[],"programDeliverable":{"slug":"sujet","format":"default"},"showOpinionDisclaimer":0,"allViews":0,"allViewsMeta":{"pointOfView":[],"survey":[],"tweetId":0,"tweet2NdId":0,"displayOverlay":0},"storyTranslationMethod":[],"localisation":[],"path":"\/my-europe\/2025\/01\/28\/knife-attack-in-aschaffenburg-sparks-heated-debate-on-germanys-migration-policy","lastModified":1738022564},{"id":2739744,"cid":9005746,"versionId":3,"archive":0,"housenumber":"250127_NWSU_57610339","owner":"euronews","isMagazine":0,"isBreakingNews":0,"daletEventName":"TUSK AND SCHOLZ CRITICISE MUSK FOR HOLOCAUST COMMENTS AT AFD RALLY","channels":[{"id":1},{"id":2},{"id":3},{"id":4},{"id":5},{"id":10},{"id":12},{"id":14}],"status":2,"title":"European leaders criticise Musk for telling Germans to move 'beyond the past' ","titleSeo":null,"titleListing1":"Musk criticised for telling Germans to move 'beyond the past'","titleListing2":"European leaders criticise Musk for telling Germans to move 'beyond the past' ","leadin":"The tech billionaire made the controversial comment at an AfD rally, two days before the 80th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz.","summary":"The tech billionaire made the controversial comment at an AfD rally, two days before the 80th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz.","keySentence":"","url":"european-leaders-criticise-musk-for-telling-germans-to-move-beyond-the-past","canonical":"https:\/\/www.euronews.com\/2025\/01\/27\/european-leaders-criticise-musk-for-telling-germans-to-move-beyond-the-past","masterCms":"v2","plainText":"Top European politicians are among those who have criticised Elon Musk for telling Germans to let go of \"the guilt of the past\" during an Alternative for Germany (AfD) campaign rally over the weekend. \n\nThe South Africa-born billionaire made the contentious remark during a virtual speech at an event attended by thousands of AfD supporters in the east German city of Halle on Saturday. \n\nMusk has previously said that only the far-right AfD, a party which says that Germans should no longer apologise for the country's Nazi past, can \"save Germany\" in next month's elections. \n\n\"To be honest, the focus is too much on the guilt of the past and we have to leave that behind us,\" the world's richest man said at the campaign rally. \n\n\"Children should not be guilty of the sins of their parents, let alone their great grandparents,\" Musk added, seemingly referring to Germany's Nazi history. \n\nThe owner of X also urged Germans to be proud of \"German values\" and not \"lose that in some sort of multiculturalism that dilutes everything.\"\n\nThe entrepreneur's comments came shortly after he appeared to mimic a Nazi salute during a speech at Donald Trump's presidential inauguration. \n\nPolish Prime Minister Donald Tusk was quick to respond to his latest comments, writing on X that Musk's words sounded \"all too familiar and ominous\". \n\n\"Especially only hours before the anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz,\" he said. \n\nTusk is overseeing commemorations on Monday for the 80th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz, the Nazi concentration camp in Poland where at least 1.1 million people were murdered. \n\nGerman Chancellor Olaf Scholz took to X to say he agreed with his Polish counterpart's appraisal of Musk's words.\n\nMusk also drew criticism from Dani Dayan, the chairman of Yad Vashem, Israel\u2019s memorial to the victims of the Holocaust. \n\n\"Contrary to Elon Musk\u2019s advice, the remembrance and acknowledgment of the dark past of the country and its people should be central in shaping the German society,\" Dayan said. \n\n\u201cFailing to do so is an insult to the victims of Nazism and a clear danger to the democratic future of Germany,\u201d he added.\n\nSteffen Seibert, Germany's ambassador to Israel, said that Musk \"doesn't seem to know\" much about Germany's history. \n\n\"Nobody makes children feel guilty for Nazi crimes. We want them to grow up informed and responsible and to apply the lessons of Germany's past.\"\n\nMusk has thrown his support behind the AfD ahead of the country's federal elections on 23 February. \n\nDuring his speech on Saturday, Musk said he was \"very excited\" for the party. \"I think you're really the best hope for Germany ... fight for a great future for Germany,\" he told AfD supporters to great applause. \n\nThe AfD are currently polling in second place with 19% of the projected vote, while the Christian Democratic Union are in first place with 28%. \n\nThe CDU's leader, Friedrich Merz, has repeatedly ruled out joining a coalition with the AfD, whose members have been fined for using Nazi slogans.\n\nLast week, however, Merz signalled that he would be open to gaining the AfD's support in pushing through tougher migration policies.\n\nOther parties have denounced the suggestion, as the far-right party is typically shunned by Germany's political establishment. \n\n","htmlText":"Top European politicians are among those who have criticised Elon Musk for telling Germans to let go of \"the guilt of the past\" during an Alternative for Germany (AfD) campaign rally over the weekend. <\/p>\nThe South Africa-born billionaire made the contentious remark during a virtual speech at an event attended by thousands of AfD supporters in the east German city of Halle on Saturday. <\/p>\nMusk has previously said that only the far-right AfD, a party which says that Germans should no longer apologise for the country's Nazi past, can \"save Germany\" in next month's elections. <\/p>\n\"To be honest, the focus is too much on the guilt of the past and we have to leave that behind us,\" the world's richest man said at the campaign rally. <\/p>\n\"Children should not be guilty of the sins of their parents, let alone their great grandparents,\" Musk added, seemingly referring to Germany's Nazi history. <\/p>\nThe owner of X also urged Germans to be proud of \"German values\" and not \"lose that in some sort of multiculturalism that dilutes everything.\"<\/p>\nThe entrepreneur's comments came shortly after he appeared<a href=https://www.euronews.com/"https:////www.euronews.com//my-europe//2025//01//22//did-elon-musk-give-a-nazi-salute-and-does-it-play-into-the-hands-of-neo-fascist-groups/"> to mimic<\/a><a href=https://www.euronews.com/"https:////www.euronews.com//2025//01//21//musks-apparent-nazi-salute-controversy-overshadows-trumps-inauguration/"> <\/a>a Nazi salute during a speech at Donald Trump's presidential inauguration. <\/p>\nPolish Prime Minister Donald Tusk was quick to respond to his latest comments, writing on X that Musk's words sounded \"all too familiar and ominous\". <\/p>\n\"Especially only hours before the anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz,\" he said. <\/p>\nTusk is overseeing commemorations on Monday for the 80th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz, the Nazi concentration camp in Poland where at least 1.1 million people were murdered. <\/p>\nGerman Chancellor Olaf Scholz took to X to say he agreed with his Polish counterpart's appraisal of Musk's words.<\/p>\nMusk also drew criticism from Dani Dayan, the chairman of Yad Vashem, Israel\u2019s memorial to the victims of the Holocaust. <\/p>\n\"Contrary to Elon Musk\u2019s advice, the remembrance and acknowledgment of the dark past of the country and its people should be central in shaping the German society,\" Dayan said. <\/p>\n\u201cFailing to do so is an insult to the victims of Nazism and a clear danger to the democratic future of Germany,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n<div class=\"c-widget-related\" data-stories-id=\"8994426,8960680\" data-event=\"widget_related\">\n <div class=\"c-widget-related__title\">\n Related<\/b>\n <\/div>\n <ul class=\"c-widget-related__list\">\n <li class=\"c-widget-related__item\"><a class=\"c-widget-related__article\" href=https://www.euronews.com/"https:////www.euronews.com//2025//01//22//did-elon-musk-give-a-nazi-salute-and-does-it-play-into-the-hands-of-neo-fascist-groups/">Did Elon Musk give a \u2018Nazi\u2019 salute and does it play into the hands of neo-fascist groups?<\/a><\/li><li class=\"c-widget-related__item\"><a class=\"c-widget-related__article\" href=https://www.euronews.com/"https:////www.euronews.com//my-europe//2025//01//09//elon-musk-and-germanys-far-right-chief-host-online-chat-the-eu-warns-could-be-illegal/">Germany's far-right AfD chief pushes back on Nazi claims in chat with Elon Musk on X<\/a><\/li>\n <\/ul>\n<\/div>\n\n\nSteffen Seibert, Germany's ambassador to Israel, said that Musk \"doesn't seem to know\" much about Germany's history. <\/p>\n\"Nobody makes children feel guilty for Nazi crimes. We want them to grow up informed and responsible and to apply the lessons of Germany's past.\"<\/p>\nMusk has thrown his support behind the AfD ahead of the country's federal elections on 23 February. <\/p>\nDuring his speech on Saturday, Musk said he was \"very excited\" for the party. \"I think you're really the best hope for Germany ... fight for a great future for Germany,\" he told AfD supporters to great applause. <\/p>\nThe AfD are currently polling in second place with 19% of the projected vote, while the Christian Democratic Union are in first place with 28%. <\/p>\nThe CDU's leader, Friedrich Merz, has repeatedly ruled out joining a coalition with the AfD, whose <a href=https://www.euronews.com/"https:////www.euronews.com//my-europe//2024//05//14//co-leader-of-germanys-far-right-afd-party-fined-for-using-nazi-slogan/">members have been fined for using Nazi slogans.<\/p>\nLast week, however, Merz signalled that he would be <a href=https://www.euronews.com/"https:////www.euronews.com//my-europe//2025//01//24//germanys-opposition-leader-merz-under-fire-for-vowing-migration-crackdown/">open to gaining the AfD's support in pushing through tougher migration policies.<\/p>\nOther parties have denounced the suggestion, as the far-right party is typically shunned by Germany's political establishment. <\/p>\n","hashtag":null,"createdAt":1737971354,"updatedAt":1738748681,"publishedAt":1737984665,"firstPublishedAt":1737984665,"lastPublishedAt":1738748681,"expiresAt":0,"images":[{"sourceUrl":null,"sourceCredit":null,"callToActionUrl":null,"captionCredit":"AP Photo","altText":"U.S. businessman Elon Musk is shown during a live video link, as Alice Weidel, AfD candidate for chancellor takes to the stage, during the AfD's election campaign kick-off.","callToActionText":null,"width":1024,"caption":"U.S. businessman Elon Musk is shown during a live video link, as Alice Weidel, AfD candidate for chancellor takes to the stage, during the AfD's election campaign kick-off.","url":"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/00\/57\/46\/{{w}}x{{h}}_cmsv2_6ed7c95b-0544-52bb-876f-540ae7373deb-9005746.jpg","captionUrl":null,"height":576}],"authors":{"journalists":[{"urlSafeValue":"paternoster","twitter":null,"id":2940,"title":"Tamsin Paternoster"}],"producers":[],"videoEditor":[]},"keywords":[{"urlSafeValue":"afd-alternative-fur-deutschland","titleRaw":"AfD Alternative f\u00fcr Deutschland","id":17832,"title":"AfD Alternative f\u00fcr Deutschland","slug":"afd-alternative-fur-deutschland"},{"urlSafeValue":"elon-musk","titleRaw":"Elon Musk","id":13814,"title":"Elon Musk","slug":"elon-musk"},{"urlSafeValue":"donald-trump","titleRaw":"Donald Trump","id":11900,"title":"Donald Trump","slug":"donald-trump"},{"urlSafeValue":"holocaust","titleRaw":"Holocaust","id":7749,"title":"Holocaust","slug":"holocaust"},{"urlSafeValue":"german-election-2025","titleRaw":"German election 2025","id":30264,"title":"German election 2025","slug":"german-election-2025"}],"widgets":[{"count":1,"slug":"related"}],"related":[{"id":2723804},{"id":2741230},{"id":2741284}],"technicalTags":[],"externalPartners":[],"hasExternalVideo":0,"hasInternalOrExternalVideo":0,"video":0,"videos":[],"liveStream":[{"endDate":0,"startDate":0}],"scribbleLiveId":0,"scribbleLiveRibbon":0,"isLiveCoverage":0,"sourceId":1,"sources":[],"externalSource":null,"additionalSources":null,"additionalReporting":null,"freeField1":null,"freeField2":"","type":"normal","displayType":"default","program":{"id":"world","urlSafeValue":"world","title":"World News","online":1,"url":"https:\/\/www.euronews.com\/programs\/world"},"vertical":"news","verticals":[{"urlSafeValue":"news","id":1,"title":"News","slug":"news"}],"primaryVertical":{"id":1,"slug":"news","urlSafeValue":"news","title":"News"},"themes":[{"urlSafeValue":"news","id":"news","title":"World","url":"\/news\/international"}],"primaryTheme":{"id":1,"urlSafeValue":"news","title":"World"},"advertising":0,"advertisingData":{"startDate":0,"endDate":0,"type":null,"slug":null,"title":null,"disclaimerLabelKey":null,"sponsor":null,"sponsorName":null,"sponsorUrl":null,"sponsorLogo":"","sponsorLogoReverse":"","isDfp":0},"geoLocation":{"lat":0,"lon":0},"location":1,"continent":{"id":104,"urlSafeValue":"europe","title":"Europe"},"country":{"id":125,"urlSafeValue":"germany","title":"Germany","url":"\/news\/europe\/germany"},"town":[],"contextualSignals":{"doubleVerify":{"ids":["80023001","80122003","80122006","80122009","80222003","80222006","80222009","84111001","84112005","84211001","84212001"],"slugs":["aggregated_all_moderate_content","crime_high_and_medium_risk","crime_high_medium_and_low_risk","human_made_disasters_high_and_medium_risk","human_made_disasters_high_medium_and_low_risk","law_gov_t_and_politics_legal_politics","law_government_and_politics","society","society_general","violence_high_and_medium_risk","violence_high_medium_and_low_risk"]}},"grapeshot":null,"versions":[],"programDeliverable":{"slug":"sujet","format":"default"},"showOpinionDisclaimer":0,"allViews":0,"allViewsMeta":{"pointOfView":[],"survey":[],"tweetId":0,"tweet2NdId":0,"displayOverlay":0},"storyTranslationMethod":[],"localisation":[],"path":"\/2025\/01\/27\/european-leaders-criticise-musk-for-telling-germans-to-move-beyond-the-past","lastModified":1738748681},{"id":2739840,"cid":9005958,"versionId":1,"archive":0,"housenumber":"250127_ECSU_57610712","owner":"euronews","isMagazine":0,"isBreakingNews":0,"daletEventName":"Business Germany\u2019s business climate mixed, European markets sink on AI reset","channels":[{"id":1},{"id":2},{"id":3},{"id":4},{"id":5},{"id":10},{"id":12},{"id":14}],"status":2,"title":"Germany's business climate mixed, European markets sink on AI reset","titleSeo":null,"titleListing1":"Germany's business climate mixed, European markets sink on AI reset","titleListing2":"Germany's business climate mixed, European markets sink on AI reset","leadin":"Germany's business climate improved slightly in January, but expectations fell to a one-year low. Concerns over bureaucracy and US tariffs continue to weigh on the German economy. Markets slumped as China's DeepSeek AI shook the tech sector.","summary":"Germany's business climate improved slightly in January, but expectations fell to a one-year low. Concerns over bureaucracy and US tariffs continue to weigh on the German economy. Markets slumped as China's DeepSeek AI shook the tech sector.","keySentence":"","url":"germanys-business-climate-mixed-european-markets-sink-on-ai-reset","canonical":"https:\/\/www.euronews.com\/my-europe\/2025\/01\/27\/germanys-business-climate-mixed-european-markets-sink-on-ai-reset","masterCms":"v2","plainText":"The German business climate showed a mixed picture in January, with a slight improvement in current conditions but a decline in expectations, which have dropped to their lowest level in a year.\n\nAccording to the latest report from the ifo Institute, the overall ifo Business Climate index edged up to 85.1 in January from 84.7 in December, exceeding expectations of 84.7. However, the index remains near its lowest levels since 2022, when the country was grappling with an energy crisis.\n\nThe ifo Current Conditions index rose to 86.1 in January from 85.1 in December, surpassing forecasts of 85.4 and reaching its highest level since August. Meanwhile, the ifo Expectations index fell to 84.2 from 84.4, marking its lowest reading since January 2024.\n\n\"Companies continue to be pessimistic,\" ifo Institute president Clemens Fuest said.\u00a0\u00a0\n\nGermany's regulatory burdens under scrutiny\n\nIn recent days, the ifo Institute has urged policymakers to address bureaucratic hurdles that slow business expansion, advocating for market-based instruments over excessive regulation.\n\n\"To avoid the costs of excessive bureaucracy in Germany, policymakers should rely more on market-based instruments when it comes to new legislation. Market-based approaches usually entail less bureaucracy, as they are based on general rules and require less state control and monitoring,\" said Sarah Necker, Director of the Ludwig Erhard ifo Centre for Social Market Economy.\n\nGermany is preparing for early elections in February, with its economy remaining sluggish. Whether a new government can drive a recovery will depend on its commitment to reform.\n\n\"The number of regulations and the costs they incur for companies have risen continuously in recent years. They now amount to almost \u20ac30 billion per year,\" Necker added, stressing the need for transparency in evaluating regulatory costs.\u00a0\n\nTrade policy concerns amid US tariff threats\n\nThe ifo Institute also weighed in on international trade, a particularly sensitive issue as the new US administration under Donald Trump threatens Europe with tariffs.\n\nAccording to ifo trade expert Lisandra Flach, Germany and the EU must pursue more trade agreements and avoid jeopardising negotiations with excessive sustainability demands.\n\n\"The global dynamic has changed fundamentally. If Europe wants to continue to play a role as a global player in the future, it should recognise the new geopolitical situation and adopt a more pragmatic approach to trade agreements,\" Flach stated.\u00a0\n\nMarkets tumble as China's DeepSeek shakes AI landscape\n\nThe release of the German business confidence report was not the main driver of Monday's sharp market declines. Instead, a major shock to the tech sector came from China's DeepSeek, which unveiled DeepSeek-R1, a reasoning model that outperforms OpenAI's GPT-4o at a fraction of the cost.\n\nThis development has triggered panic among semiconductor stocks as China's AI capabilities now rival the best US models while using less powerful and cheaper chips as well as energy.\u00a0\n\nFutures on the Nasdaq 100 tumbled more than 3% by 10:20 CET, with Nvidia Corp plunging 8% in premarket trading.\n\nDutch semiconductor giant ASML Holding NV plummeted over 9%, heading for its worst session since mid-October, when a weak earnings outlook sent shares down 15.5%.\n\nThe Euro STOXX 50 index declined by 1.2%, with ASML Holding, Schneider Electric SE falling 7.8%, and Siemens AG losing 4.5% among the worst performers.\n\nGermany's DAX 40 also dropped 1.2%, weighed down by heavy losses in Siemens Energy, which plunged 17%, while Infineon Technologies fell 4.5%, Rheinmetall declined 3%, and SAP slipped 1.5%.\n\nIn currency markets, the euro weakened by 0.2% to $1.0480.\n\n","htmlText":"The German business climate showed a mixed picture in January, with a slight improvement in current conditions but a decline in expectations, which have dropped to their lowest level in a year.<\/p>\nAccording to the latest report from the ifo Institute, the overall ifo Business Climate index edged up to 85.1 in January from 84.7 in December, exceeding expectations of 84.7. However, the index remains near its lowest levels since 2022, when the country was grappling with an energy crisis.<\/p>\nThe ifo Current Conditions index rose to 86.1 in January from 85.1 in December, surpassing forecasts of 85.4 and reaching its highest level since August. Meanwhile, the ifo Expectations index fell to 84.2 from 84.4, marking its lowest reading since January 2024.<\/p>\n\"Companies continue to be pessimistic,\" ifo Institute president Clemens Fuest said.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n<h2>Germany's regulatory burdens under scrutiny<\/strong><\/h2>In recent days, the ifo Institute has urged policymakers to address bureaucratic hurdles that slow business expansion, advocating for market-based instruments over excessive regulation.<\/p>\n<div class=\"c-widget-related\" data-stories-id=\"8990382,8973352\" data-event=\"widget_related\">\n <div class=\"c-widget-related__title\">\n Related<\/b>\n <\/div>\n <ul class=\"c-widget-related__list\">\n <li class=\"c-widget-related__item\"><a class=\"c-widget-related__article\" href=https://www.euronews.com/"https:////www.euronews.com//my-europe//2025//01//15//germanys-economy-shrinks-for-a-second-year-in-a-row-in-2024/">Germany's economy shrinks for a second year in a row as election looms<\/a><\/li><li class=\"c-widget-related__item\"><a class=\"c-widget-related__article\" href=https://www.euronews.com/"https:////www.euronews.com//my-europe//2025//01//21//germanys-economic-sentiment-darkens-amid-trump-trade-risks-recession-fears/">Germany's economic sentiment darkens amid Trump trade risks, recession fears <\/a><\/li>\n <\/ul>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\"To avoid the costs of excessive bureaucracy in Germany, policymakers should rely more on market-based instruments when it comes to new legislation. Market-based approaches usually entail less bureaucracy, as they are based on general rules and require less state control and monitoring,\" said Sarah Necker, Director of the Ludwig Erhard ifo Centre for Social Market Economy.<\/p>\nGermany is preparing for early elections in February, with its economy remaining sluggish. Whether a new government can drive a recovery will depend on its commitment to reform.<\/p>\n\"The number of regulations and the costs they incur for companies have risen continuously in recent years. They now amount to almost \u20ac30 billion per year,\" Necker added, stressing the need for transparency in evaluating regulatory costs.\u00a0<\/p>\n<h2>Trade policy concerns amid US tariff threats<\/strong><\/h2>The ifo Institute also weighed in on international trade, a particularly sensitive issue as the new US administration under Donald Trump threatens Europe with tariffs.<\/p>\nAccording to ifo trade expert Lisandra Flach, Germany and the EU must pursue more trade agreements and avoid jeopardising negotiations with excessive sustainability demands.<\/p>\n<div class=\"c-widget-related\" data-stories-id=\"8977542,9000966\" data-event=\"widget_related\">\n <div class=\"c-widget-related__title\">\n Related<\/b>\n <\/div>\n <ul class=\"c-widget-related__list\">\n <li class=\"c-widget-related__item\"><a class=\"c-widget-related__article\" href=https://www.euronews.com/"https:////www.euronews.com//my-europe//2025//01//16//ecb-minutes-show-concerns-over-economic-outlook-and-geopolitical-risks/">ECB minutes show concerns over economic outlook and geopolitical risks<\/a><\/li><li class=\"c-widget-related__item\"><a class=\"c-widget-related__article\" href=https://www.euronews.com/"https:////www.euronews.com//business//2025//01//24//imf-chief-eurozone-has-tools-for-greater-growth-if-it-learns-from-us/">IMF chief: Eurozone has tools for greater growth if it learns from US<\/a><\/li>\n <\/ul>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\"The global dynamic has changed fundamentally. If Europe wants to continue to play a role as a global player in the future, it should recognise the new geopolitical situation and adopt a more pragmatic approach to trade agreements,\" Flach stated.\u00a0<\/p>\n<h2>Markets tumble as China's DeepSeek shakes AI landscape<\/strong><\/h2>The release of the German business confidence report was not the main driver of Monday's sharp market declines. Instead, a major shock to the tech sector came from China's DeepSeek, which unveiled DeepSeek-R1, a reasoning model that outperforms OpenAI's GPT-4o at a fraction of the cost.<\/p>\nThis development has triggered panic among semiconductor stocks as China's AI capabilities now rival the best US models while using less powerful and cheaper chips as well as energy.\u00a0<\/p>\n<div class=\"c-widget-related\" data-stories-id=\"8945314,8888244\" data-event=\"widget_related\">\n <div class=\"c-widget-related__title\">\n Related<\/b>\n <\/div>\n <ul class=\"c-widget-related__list\">\n <li class=\"c-widget-related__item\"><a class=\"c-widget-related__article\" href=https://www.euronews.com/"https:////www.euronews.com//business//2024//12//04//german-ai-company-helsing-moves-into-attack-drone-market/">German AI company Helsing moves into attack drone market<\/a><\/li><li class=\"c-widget-related__item\"><a class=\"c-widget-related__article\" href=https://www.euronews.com/"https:////www.euronews.com//next//2025//01//02//frances-artificial-intelligence-summit-aims-to-put-eu-on-the-map-as-leading-ai-continent/">France/u2019s artificial intelligence summit aims to put EU on the map as 'leading AI continent'<\/a><\/li>\n <\/ul>\n<\/div>\n\n\nFutures on the Nasdaq 100 tumbled more than 3% by 10:20 CET, with Nvidia Corp plunging 8% in premarket trading.<\/p>\nDutch semiconductor giant ASML Holding NV plummeted over 9%, heading for its worst session since mid-October, when a weak earnings outlook sent shares down 15.5%.<\/p>\nThe Euro STOXX 50 index declined by 1.2%, with ASML Holding, Schneider Electric SE falling 7.8%, and Siemens AG losing 4.5% among the worst performers.<\/p>\nGermany's DAX 40 also dropped 1.2%, weighed down by heavy losses in Siemens Energy, which plunged 17%, while Infineon Technologies fell 4.5%, Rheinmetall declined 3%, and SAP slipped 1.5%.<\/p>\nIn currency markets, the euro weakened by 0.2% to $1.0480.<\/p>\n","hashtag":null,"createdAt":1737973560,"updatedAt":1737975379,"publishedAt":1737975374,"firstPublishedAt":1737975374,"lastPublishedAt":1737975374,"expiresAt":0,"images":[{"url":"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/00\/59\/58\/{{w}}x{{h}}_cmsv2_90731714-063e-5de7-8d3c-7a569f611449-9005958.jpg","altText":"The city centre of Jena, the economic heartland of the German federal state of Thuringia ","caption":"The city centre of Jena, the economic heartland of the German federal state of Thuringia ","captionUrl":null,"captionCredit":"Markus Schreiber\/Copyright 2024 The AP. All rights reserved","sourceUrl":null,"sourceCredit":null,"callToActionUrl":null,"callToActionText":null,"width":1920,"height":1275}],"authors":{"journalists":[],"producers":[],"videoEditor":[]},"keywords":[{"id":10677,"slug":"german-economy","urlSafeValue":"german-economy","title":"German economy","titleRaw":"German economy"},{"id":12661,"slug":"artificial-intelligence","urlSafeValue":"artificial-intelligence","title":"Artificial intelligence","titleRaw":"Artificial intelligence"},{"id":10739,"slug":"german-gdp","urlSafeValue":"german-gdp","title":"German GDP","titleRaw":"German GDP"}],"widgets":[{"slug":"related","count":3}],"related":[{"id":2737772},{"id":2739608},{"id":2738906}],"technicalTags":[],"externalPartners":[],"hasExternalVideo":0,"hasInternalOrExternalVideo":0,"video":0,"videos":[],"liveStream":[{"startDate":0,"endDate":0}],"scribbleLiveId":0,"scribbleLiveRibbon":0,"isLiveCoverage":0,"sourceId":1,"sources":[],"externalSource":null,"additionalSources":"","additionalReporting":"Piero Cingari","freeField1":null,"freeField2":"","type":"normal","displayType":"default","program":{"id":"economy","urlSafeValue":"economy","title":"Economy","online":0,"url":"https:\/\/www.euronews.com\/business\/economy\/economy"},"vertical":"business","verticals":[{"id":11,"slug":"business","urlSafeValue":"business","title":"Business"},{"id":2,"slug":"my-europe","urlSafeValue":"my-europe","title":"Europe"}],"primaryVertical":{"id":11,"slug":"business","urlSafeValue":"business","title":"Business"},"themes":[{"id":"economy","urlSafeValue":"economy","title":"Economy","url":"\/business\/economy"},{"id":"europe-news","urlSafeValue":"europe-news","title":"Europe News","url":"\/news\/international"}],"primaryTheme":{"id":72,"urlSafeValue":"economy","title":"Economy"},"advertising":0,"advertisingData":{"startDate":0,"endDate":0,"type":null,"slug":null,"title":null,"disclaimerLabelKey":null,"sponsor":null,"sponsorName":null,"sponsorUrl":null,"sponsorLogo":"","sponsorLogoReverse":"","isDfp":0},"geoLocation":{"lat":0,"lon":0},"location":1,"continent":{"id":104,"urlSafeValue":"europe","title":"Europe"},"country":{"id":125,"urlSafeValue":"germany","title":"Germany","url":"\/news\/europe\/germany"},"town":[],"contextualSignals":{"doubleVerify":{"ids":["80022015","80023001","84031001","84032002","84111001","84112005","84131001","84132012","84191001","84192001","84211001","84212001"],"slugs":["aggregated_all_moderate_content","business","business_advertising","law_gov_t_and_politics_legal_politics","law_government_and_politics","negative_news_financial","personal_finance","personal_finance_stocks","science","science_general","society","society_general"]}},"grapeshot":null,"versions":[],"programDeliverable":{"slug":"sujet","format":"default"},"showOpinionDisclaimer":0,"allViews":0,"allViewsMeta":{"pointOfView":[],"survey":[],"tweetId":0,"tweet2NdId":0,"displayOverlay":0},"storyTranslationMethod":[],"localisation":[],"path":"\/business\/2025\/01\/27\/germanys-business-climate-mixed-european-markets-sink-on-ai-reset","lastModified":1737975374},{"id":2739038,"cid":9004212,"versionId":4,"archive":0,"housenumber":"250126_E3SU_57605364","owner":"euronews","isMagazine":0,"isBreakingNews":0,"daletEventName":"GERM HOLOCAUST REMEMBRANCE","channels":[{"id":1},{"id":2},{"id":4},{"id":5},{"id":10},{"id":12},{"id":14}],"status":2,"title":"World commemorates the Holocaust as Jewish community groups warn of rising antisemitism","titleSeo":null,"titleListing1":"Holocaust commemorated as Jewish groups warn of rising antisemitism","titleListing2":"World commemorates the Holocaust as Jewish community groups warn of rising antisemitism.","leadin":"On International Holocaust Remembrance Day, on 27 January, people remember the six million Jews and millions of other victims of Nazi persecution during WWII.","summary":"On International Holocaust Remembrance Day, on 27 January, people remember the six million Jews and millions of other victims of Nazi persecution during WWII.","keySentence":"","url":"as-holocaust-is-commemorated-jewish-groups-warn-of-rising-antisemitism","canonical":"https:\/\/www.euronews.com\/my-europe\/2025\/01\/27\/as-holocaust-is-commemorated-jewish-groups-warn-of-rising-antisemitism","masterCms":"v2","plainText":"Monday marks the 80th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz-Birkenau, a date which has been designated by the United Nations General Assembly as International Holocaust Remembrance Day.\n\nJewish groups have, however, been sounding the alarm over rising antisemitism on a global level. Antisemitism commissioner in Berlin, Sigmount K\u00f6nigsberg,\u00a0says that hatred against Jews is a chameleon, and that he doesn't feel as safe in Germany as he did 20 years ago.\n\n\"There are no longer any Jewish events, not even a Jewish puppet theatre for children, that are not protected by the police,\" he says, while pointing at the airport-style security to enter the synagogue where he was interviewed by Euronews.\n\nMeanwhile, earlier this month, a survey by US campaign group the Anti-Defamation League found that 1 in 12 adults in Germany and 46% of adults worldwide hold significant antisemitic views.\u00a0\n\n\"We are under attack - we are attacked by friends of Hamas, by the extreme left, by so-called antifascists and by Islamists. We are also attacked by the extreme right. Political groups that are otherwise bitterly opposed to each other and even fight one another unite in their antisemitism. This is happening here with a vehemence and intensity we have never experienced before. This is the reality, and it has reached a point where it becomes very difficult. There are people who, just a few years ago, openly displayed their Jewish identity but no longer do so,\" he added.\n\nK\u00f6nigsberg says that myths antisemitic myths have always persisted: \"For instance, people now say 'Zionist' instead of 'Jew', but it ultimately amounts to the same prejudice.\" He also references conspiracy theories surrounding the Rothschild family.\n\nAccording to the German Interior Ministry, the number of antisemitic attacks in Germany reached a new record high in 2024. K\u00f6nigsberg says that there has been a \"massive assault on Jewish life, particularly in Berlin\" since the attack on Israel by militant group Hamas on 7 October 2023, which was followed by a 15-month-long war which halted after a ceasefire agreement was reached this month.\n\n\"The complacency of the majority of society, which identifies as democratic, must end. Evil thrives when good people fail to stand up against it. Allowing hatred to go unchecked only strengthens it. When those who spread hate face no limits, they feel emboldened to continue.\"\n\nThe role of social media \n\nK\u00f6nigsberg partly blames social media, where hate speech often goes unchecked, especially following the decision by several social media companies such as X, run by Elon Musk, and Meta, run by Mark Zuckerberg, to scale back fact-checking efforts. This also leads to a polarisation of the population, he says, such as during the pandemic when untruths about Jews and COVID-19 ran rampant on social media.\n\n\"Social media also amplifies this danger by reducing complex topics to short soundbites and simple slogans without in-depth analysis or meaningful answers. This is precisely what the AfD (Alternative for Germany) does - it offers simplistic solutions. However, these solutions are outdated, originate in the 1940s and 1950s, and fail to address the complexities of the 21st century,\" he says.\n\nK\u00f6nigsberg also believes that extremist parties capitalise on this and reinforce prejudices about Jews.\n\n\"The AfD has dramatically intensified political discourse, making statements acceptable that were once deemed unspeakable because they were offensive. Provocation and scandal have become part of the political strategy, where the goal is not factual arguments but rather sensationalism.\"\n\nBut the AfD is only part of the problem, according to K\u00f6nigsberg.\n\n\"The political climate here has, of course, significantly intensified over the past 15 years. This is not a development that occurred just in the last two years but has gradually worsened over a longer period. Political discourse rarely takes place anymore. Instead of exchanging arguments, people stick rigidly to pre-defined positions, either A or B, and neither side engages in meaningful dialogue,\" he says.\n\nHe urges more tolerance and for both sides of the political divide to listen calmly to each other and reflect. K\u00f6nigsberg believes that the ability to see things from others' perspective is \"relatively underdeveloped in Germany.\"\n\nHow can we banish antisemitism?\n\nIn order to tackle antisemitism and the conspiracy myths associated with it, \"we must address people on an emotional level,\" he says, highlighting that although it is challenging and resource-intensive, efforts must be made to reach individuals emotionally.\n\n\"This effort requires confronting antisemitic narratives not only in traditional family stories but also on social media and internet platforms. These platforms transmit unfiltered antisemitic content in various languages - German, English, French, Arabic and others,\" K\u00f6nigsberg adds.\n\n\"The internet has become a breeding ground for hate. In the past, such remarks might have been limited to small gatherings at a pub, for example, where only a handful of people heard them. Now, a post on X or Instagram can instantly reach thousands or tens of thousands of people. Even if people don\u2019t like or share the content, they still see it, and this visibility matters. Systematic repetition reinforces antisemitic narratives,\" he explains.\n\nCombatting hate speech requires efforts on multiple fronts such as education, media reforms, and internet regulation - \"a Sisyphean task\", concludes K\u00f6nigsberg, which requires \"immense effort and continuous work\".\n\n","htmlText":"Monday marks the 80th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz-Birkenau, a date which has been designated by the United Nations General Assembly as International Holocaust Remembrance Day.<\/p>\nJewish groups have, however, been sounding the alarm over rising antisemitism on a global level. Antisemitism commissioner in Berlin, Sigmount K\u00f6nigsberg,\u00a0says that hatred against Jews is a chameleon, and that he doesn't feel as safe in Germany as he did 20 years ago.<\/p>\n\"There are no longer any Jewish events, not even a Jewish puppet theatre for children, that are not protected by the police,\" he says, while pointing at the airport-style security to enter the synagogue where he was interviewed by Euronews.<\/p>\nMeanwhile, earlier this month, a<a href=https://www.euronews.com/"https:////www.adl.org//adl-global-100-index-antisemitism/"> survey by US campaign group the Anti-Defamation League<\/a> found that 1 in 12 adults in Germany and 46% of adults worldwide hold significant antisemitic views.\u00a0<\/p>\n\"We are under attack - we are attacked by friends of Hamas, by the extreme left, by so-called antifascists and by Islamists. We are also attacked by the extreme right. Political groups that are otherwise bitterly opposed to each other and even fight one another unite in their antisemitism. This is happening here with a vehemence and intensity we have never experienced before. This is the reality, and it has reached a point where it becomes very difficult. There are people who, just a few years ago, openly displayed their Jewish identity but no longer do so,\" he added.<\/p>\nK\u00f6nigsberg says that myths antisemitic myths have always persisted: \"For instance, people now say 'Zionist' instead of 'Jew', but it ultimately amounts to the same prejudice.\" He also references conspiracy theories surrounding the Rothschild family.<\/p>\n<div class=\"c-widget-related\" data-stories-id=\"8975356,8970288\" data-event=\"widget_related\">\n <div class=\"c-widget-related__title\">\n Related<\/b>\n <\/div>\n <ul class=\"c-widget-related__list\">\n <li class=\"c-widget-related__item\"><a class=\"c-widget-related__article\" href=https://www.euronews.com/"https:////www.euronews.com//2025//01//14//europe-urged-to-tackle-antisemitism-as-thousands-of-jews-leave-the-continent/">Europe urged to tackle antisemitism as thousands of Jews 'leave the continent'<\/a><\/li><li class=\"c-widget-related__item\"><a class=\"c-widget-related__article\" href=https://www.euronews.com/"https:////www.euronews.com//my-europe//2025//01//15//antisemitic-atttitudes-have-doubled-over-a-decade-survey-finds/">Antisemitic attitudes have doubled over a decade, survey finds<\/a><\/li>\n <\/ul>\n<\/div>\n\n\nAccording to the German Interior Ministry, the number of antisemitic attacks in Germany reached a new record high in 2024. K\u00f6nigsberg says that there has been a \"massive assault on Jewish life, particularly in Berlin\" since the attack on Israel by militant group Hamas on 7 October 2023, which was followed by a 15-month-long war which halted after a ceasefire agreement was reached this month.<\/p>\n\"The complacency of the majority of society, which identifies as democratic, must end. Evil thrives when good people fail to stand up against it. Allowing hatred to go unchecked only strengthens it. When those who spread hate face no limits, they feel emboldened to continue.\"<\/p>\nThe role of social media<\/strong> <\/p>\nK\u00f6nigsberg partly blames social media, where hate speech often goes unchecked, especially following the decision by several social media companies such as X, run by Elon Musk, and Meta, run by Mark Zuckerberg, to scale back fact-checking efforts. This also leads to a polarisation of the population, he says, such as during the pandemic when untruths about Jews and COVID-19 ran rampant on social media.<\/p>\n\"Social media also amplifies this danger by reducing complex topics to short soundbites and simple slogans without in-depth analysis or meaningful answers. This is precisely what the AfD (Alternative for Germany) does - it offers simplistic solutions. However, these solutions are outdated, originate in the 1940s and 1950s, and fail to address the complexities of the 21st century,\" he says.<\/p>\nK\u00f6nigsberg also believes that extremist parties capitalise on this and reinforce prejudices about Jews.<\/p>\n\"The AfD has dramatically intensified political discourse, making statements acceptable that were once deemed unspeakable because they were offensive. Provocation and scandal have become part of the political strategy, where the goal is not factual arguments but rather sensationalism.\"<\/p>\nBut the AfD is only part of the problem, according to K\u00f6nigsberg.<\/p>\n\"The political climate here has, of course, significantly intensified over the past 15 years. This is not a development that occurred just in the last two years but has gradually worsened over a longer period. Political discourse rarely takes place anymore. Instead of exchanging arguments, people stick rigidly to pre-defined positions, either A or B, and neither side engages in meaningful dialogue,\" he says.<\/p>\nHe urges more tolerance and for both sides of the political divide to listen calmly to each other and reflect. K\u00f6nigsberg believes that the ability to see things from others' perspective is \"relatively underdeveloped in Germany.\"<\/p>\nHow can we banish antisemitism?<\/strong><\/p>\nIn order to tackle antisemitism and the conspiracy myths associated with it, \"we must address people on an emotional level,\" he says, highlighting that although it is challenging and resource-intensive, efforts must be made to reach individuals emotionally.<\/p>\n\"This effort requires confronting antisemitic narratives not only in traditional family stories but also on social media and internet platforms. These platforms transmit unfiltered antisemitic content in various languages - German, English, French, Arabic and others,\" K\u00f6nigsberg adds.<\/p>\n\"The internet has become a breeding ground for hate. In the past, such remarks might have been limited to small gatherings at a pub, for example, where only a handful of people heard them. Now, a post on X or Instagram can instantly reach thousands or tens of thousands of people. Even if people don\u2019t like or share the content, they still see it, and this visibility matters. Systematic repetition reinforces antisemitic narratives,\" he explains.<\/p>\nCombatting hate speech requires efforts on multiple fronts such as education, media reforms, and internet regulation - \"a Sisyphean task\", concludes K\u00f6nigsberg, which requires \"immense effort and continuous work\".<\/p>\n","hashtag":null,"createdAt":1737892802,"updatedAt":1737974362,"publishedAt":1737957626,"firstPublishedAt":1737957626,"lastPublishedAt":1737968542,"expiresAt":0,"images":[{"sourceUrl":null,"sourceCredit":null,"callToActionUrl":null,"captionCredit":"Michael Sohn\/AP","altText":"FILE - A star of David behind a sculpture by German artist Will Lammert is pictured at a Jewish cemetery and memorial in Berlin, Germany, Thursday, Oct. 31, 2013","callToActionText":null,"width":4908,"caption":"FILE - A star of David behind a sculpture by German artist Will Lammert is pictured at a Jewish cemetery and memorial in Berlin, Germany, Thursday, Oct. 31, 2013","url":"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/00\/42\/16\/{{w}}x{{h}}_cmsv2_5de7832f-1a33-5b88-b5e2-ce4bde118c3e-9004216.jpg","captionUrl":null,"height":3306}],"authors":{"journalists":[{"urlSafeValue":"stroud","twitter":"@livstroud","id":2904,"title":"Liv Stroud"}],"producers":[],"videoEditor":[]},"keywords":[{"urlSafeValue":"holocaust","titleRaw":"Holocaust","id":7749,"title":"Holocaust","slug":"holocaust"},{"urlSafeValue":"germany","titleRaw":"Germany","id":125,"title":"Germany","slug":"germany"},{"urlSafeValue":"jews","titleRaw":"Jews","id":12854,"title":"Jews","slug":"jews"},{"urlSafeValue":"security","titleRaw":"Security","id":244,"title":"Security","slug":"security"},{"urlSafeValue":"auschwitz","titleRaw":"Auschwitz","id":19406,"title":"Auschwitz","slug":"auschwitz"},{"urlSafeValue":"anniversary","titleRaw":"Anniversary","id":5006,"title":"Anniversary","slug":"anniversary"}],"widgets":[{"count":1,"slug":"related"}],"related":[{"id":2729214},{"id":2727582},{"id":2615726}],"technicalTags":[],"externalPartners":{"youtubeId":"L8QpkB4kjTA","dailymotionId":"x9d2zha"},"hasExternalVideo":1,"hasInternalOrExternalVideo":1,"video":1,"videos":[{"duration":153000,"editor":"","filesizeBytes":19818321,"format":"mp4","type":"normal","url":"https:\/\/video.euronews.com\/mp4\/med\/EN\/E3\/SU\/25\/01\/26\/en\/250126_E3SU_57605364_57609202_153000_080501_en.mp4","expiresAt":0,"quality":"md"},{"duration":153000,"editor":"","filesizeBytes":29282641,"format":"mp4","type":"normal","url":"https:\/\/video.euronews.com\/mp4\/EN\/E3\/SU\/25\/01\/26\/en\/250126_E3SU_57605364_57609202_153000_080501_en.mp4","expiresAt":0,"quality":"hd"}],"liveStream":[{"endDate":0,"startDate":0}],"scribbleLiveId":0,"scribbleLiveRibbon":0,"isLiveCoverage":0,"sourceId":1,"sources":[],"externalSource":null,"additionalSources":null,"additionalReporting":null,"freeField1":null,"freeField2":"","type":"normal","displayType":"default","program":{"id":"europe-news","urlSafeValue":"europe-news","title":"Europe News","online":1,"url":"https:\/\/www.euronews.com\/my-europe\/europe-news\/europe-news"},"vertical":"my-europe","verticals":[{"urlSafeValue":"my-europe","id":2,"title":"Europe","slug":"my-europe"}],"primaryVertical":{"id":2,"slug":"my-europe","urlSafeValue":"my-europe","title":"Europe"},"themes":[{"urlSafeValue":"europe-news","id":"europe-news","title":"Europe News","url":"\/my-europe\/europe-news"}],"primaryTheme":{"id":56,"urlSafeValue":"europe-news","title":"Europe News"},"advertising":0,"advertisingData":{"startDate":0,"endDate":0,"type":null,"slug":null,"title":null,"disclaimerLabelKey":null,"sponsor":null,"sponsorName":null,"sponsorUrl":null,"sponsorLogo":"","sponsorLogoReverse":"","isDfp":0},"geoLocation":{"lat":0,"lon":0},"location":1,"continent":{"id":104,"urlSafeValue":"europe","title":"Europe"},"country":{"id":125,"urlSafeValue":"germany","title":"Germany","url":"\/news\/europe\/germany"},"town":{"id":1734,"urlSafeValue":"berlin","title":"Berlin"},"contextualSignals":{"doubleVerify":{"ids":["80023001","80122003","80122004","80122006","80122009","80222003","80222004","80222006","80222009","84111001","84112001","84181001","84182009","84211001","84212001"],"slugs":["aggregated_all_moderate_content","crime_high_and_medium_risk","crime_high_medium_and_low_risk","hate_speech_and_cyberbullying_high_and_medium_risk","hate_speech_and_cyberbullying_high_medium_and_low_risk","human_made_disasters_high_and_medium_risk","human_made_disasters_high_medium_and_low_risk","law_government_and_politics","law_government_and_politics_general","religion_and_spirituality","religion_and_spirituality_judaism","society","society_general","violence_high_and_medium_risk","violence_high_medium_and_low_risk"]}},"grapeshot":null,"versions":[],"programDeliverable":{"slug":"sujet","format":"default"},"showOpinionDisclaimer":0,"allViews":0,"allViewsMeta":{"pointOfView":[],"survey":[],"tweetId":0,"tweet2NdId":0,"displayOverlay":0},"storyTranslationMethod":[],"localisation":[],"path":"\/my-europe\/2025\/01\/27\/as-holocaust-is-commemorated-jewish-groups-warn-of-rising-antisemitism","lastModified":1737968542},{"id":2738552,"cid":9003192,"versionId":1,"archive":0,"housenumber":"250125_E3SU_57601422","owner":"euronews","isMagazine":0,"isBreakingNews":0,"daletEventName":"GERMANY ANTI AfD PROTESTS","channels":[{"id":1},{"id":2},{"id":3},{"id":4},{"id":5},{"id":10},{"id":12},{"id":14}],"status":2,"title":"Thousands protest in Germany against the far-right as AfD party begins election campaign","titleSeo":null,"titleListing1":"Thousands protest as AfD party begins election campaign","titleListing2":"Thousands protest as AfD party begins election campaign","leadin":"The protests took place while AfD was opening its election campaign in the central city of Halle on Saturday.","summary":"The protests took place while AfD was opening its election campaign in the central city of Halle on Saturday.","keySentence":"","url":"thousands-protest-in-germany-against-the-far-right-as-afd-party-begins-election-campaign","canonical":"https:\/\/www.euronews.com\/my-europe\/2025\/01\/26\/thousands-protest-in-germany-against-the-far-right-as-afd-party-begins-election-campaign","masterCms":"v2","plainText":"Thousands of people across major cities in Germany on Saturday protested the rise of the far-right and anti-immigrant Alternative for Germany (AfD) party ahead of a 23 February general election.\n\nIn one of the protests at the Brandenburg Gate in Berlin, the German capital, participants lit up their phones, blew whistles, and sang anti-fascist songs.\n\nSome activists, including the group calling itself Fridays for Future, dubbed the Berlin rally the \u201csea of light against the right turn.\u201d \n\nIn Cologne, protesters carried banners denouncing AfD. Over 15 thousand people rallied on the city's streets to protest against the rise of right-wing extremism, according to local reports.\n\nOne of the protesters, Thomas Schneemann, said it was most important for him to \u201dstay united against the far right.\" \"Especially after yesterday and what we heard from Friedrich Merz, we have to stand together to fight the far right,\u201d Schneemann said.\n\n\"We see a party (AfD) that so far gets 20% of votes and might get more, and this party shows a racist, discriminatory, and intolerant attitude openly, and I think it is important to set a signal for a tolerant and active democracy,\" said another protester, Britta Straschewski, 36, a teacher from Cologne.\n\nLed by Friedrich Merz, the opposition bloc of Germany\u2019s centre-right parties, the Unions are currently leading pre-election polls, with the far-right AfD in second place.\n\nMerz said Friday that his party will bring motions to toughen migration policy to parliament next week, a move seen as risky in case the motions go to a vote and pass with the help of AfD.\n\nEarlier, he had vowed to bar people from entering the country without proper papers and to step up deportations if he is elected chancellor. \n\nThose comments came after a knife assault\u00a0in Aschaffenburg by a rejected asylum seeker left a man and a 2-year-old boy dead and spilt over into the election campaign.\n\nAccording to the Fridays for Future activist group, Saturday's protest was also aimed at drawing attention to the actions of the new administration of US President Donald Trump and the political lineup ahead of Germany\u2019s election.\n\nThe protests took place while AfD was opening its election campaign in the central city of Halle on Saturday. \n\nParty leaders Alice Weidel, AfD's candidate for chancellor, and Tino Chrupalla were expected to speak to an audience of some 4,500 people.\n\nWeidel again received the backing of Elon Musk, who addressed the rally remotely, but current projections give her no realistic chance of becoming Germany\u2019s leader as other parties refuse to work with AfD.\n\nAccording to the Federal Statistical Office, around 59.2 million German voters will be eligible to cast their ballot in the polls scheduled for late February.\n\n","htmlText":"Thousands of people across major cities in Germany on Saturday protested the rise of the far-right and anti-immigrant Alternative for Germany (AfD) party ahead of a 23 February general election.<\/p>\nIn one of the protests at the Brandenburg Gate in Berlin, the German capital, participants lit up their phones, blew whistles, and sang anti-fascist songs.<\/p>\nSome activists, including the group calling itself Fridays for Future, dubbed the Berlin rally the \u201csea of light against the right turn.\u201d <\/p>\nIn Cologne, protesters carried banners denouncing AfD. Over 15 thousand people rallied on the city's streets to protest against the rise of right-wing extremism, according to local reports.<\/p>\nOne of the protesters, Thomas Schneemann, said it was most important for him to \u201dstay united against the far right.\" \"Especially after yesterday and what we heard from Friedrich Merz, we have to stand together to fight the far right,\u201d Schneemann said.<\/p>\n\"We see a party (AfD) that so far gets 20% of votes and might get more, and this party shows a racist, discriminatory, and intolerant attitude openly, and I think it is important to set a signal for a tolerant and active democracy,\" said another protester, Britta Straschewski, 36, a teacher from Cologne.<\/p>\nLed by Friedrich Merz, the opposition bloc of Germany\u2019s centre-right parties, the Unions are currently leading pre-election polls, with the far-right AfD in second place.<\/p>\nMerz said Friday that his party will bring motions to toughen migration policy to parliament next week, a move seen as risky in case the motions go to a vote and pass with the help of AfD.<\/p>\nEarlier, he had vowed to bar people from entering the country without proper papers and to step up deportations if he is elected chancellor. <\/p>\nThose comments came after a<a href=https://www.euronews.com/"https:////apnews.com//article//germany-stabbing-attack-bavaria-3803c0126616a9c93c143891d727ea8a/"> <\/a>knife assault\u00a0in Aschaffenburg by a rejected asylum seeker left a man and a 2-year-old boy dead and spilt over into the election campaign.<\/p>\nAccording to the Fridays for Future activist group, Saturday's protest was also aimed at drawing attention to the actions of the new administration of US President Donald Trump and the political lineup ahead of Germany\u2019s election.<\/p>\n<div class=\"c-widget-related\" data-stories-id=\"8993492\" data-event=\"widget_related\">\n <div class=\"c-widget-related__title\">\n Related<\/b>\n <\/div>\n <ul class=\"c-widget-related__list\">\n <li class=\"c-widget-related__item\"><a class=\"c-widget-related__article\" href=https://www.euronews.com/"https:////www.euronews.com//my-europe//2025//01//23//afds-failure-to-appeal-extremist-classification-in-saxony-raises-questions-over-national-b/">AfD's failure to appeal 'extremist' classification in Saxony raises questions over national ban<\/a><\/li>\n <\/ul>\n<\/div>\n\n\nThe protests took place while AfD was opening its election campaign in the central city of Halle on Saturday. <\/p>\nParty leaders Alice Weidel, AfD's candidate for chancellor, and Tino Chrupalla were expected to speak to an audience of some 4,500 people.<\/p>\nWeidel again received the backing of Elon Musk, who addressed the rally remotely, but current projections give her no realistic chance of becoming Germany\u2019s leader as other parties refuse to work with AfD.<\/p>\nAccording to the Federal Statistical Office, around 59.2 million German voters will be eligible to cast their ballot in the polls scheduled for late February.<\/p>\n","hashtag":null,"createdAt":1737815263,"updatedAt":1737913684,"publishedAt":1737913384,"firstPublishedAt":1737913384,"lastPublishedAt":1737913384,"expiresAt":0,"images":[{"url":"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/00\/31\/92\/{{w}}x{{h}}_cmsv2_be1f2b5c-7b2a-54f6-aa6a-137578f9a42d-9003192.jpg","altText":"People gather to protest against the Far Right, in Cologne, Germany, Saturday Jan. 25, 2025. Banner reads: \"Immediate lessons for Merz in democracy and decency\". (Christoph Dr","caption":"People gather to protest against the Far Right, in Cologne, Germany, Saturday Jan. 25, 2025. Banner reads: \"Immediate lessons for Merz in democracy and decency\". (Christoph Dr","captionUrl":null,"captionCredit":"Christoph Driessen\/(c) Copyright 2025, dpa (www.dpa.de). Alle Rechte vorbehalten","sourceUrl":null,"sourceCredit":null,"callToActionUrl":null,"callToActionText":null,"width":1024,"height":768}],"authors":{"journalists":[{"id":957,"urlSafeValue":"fisayo","title":"Jerry Fisayo-Bambi","twitter":"@jerrybambi1"}],"producers":[],"videoEditor":[]},"keywords":[{"id":125,"slug":"germany","urlSafeValue":"germany","title":"Germany","titleRaw":"Germany"},{"id":17206,"slug":"afd","urlSafeValue":"afd","title":"Alternative for Germany","titleRaw":"Alternative for Germany"},{"id":27110,"slug":"protestas","urlSafeValue":"protestas","title":"Protests","titleRaw":"Protests"},{"id":12028,"slug":"demonstration","urlSafeValue":"demonstration","title":"Demonstration","titleRaw":"Demonstration"},{"id":30264,"slug":"german-election-2025","urlSafeValue":"german-election-2025","title":"German election 2025","titleRaw":"German election 2025"}],"widgets":[{"slug":"related","count":1}],"related":[{"id":2735226},{"id":2734288},{"id":2725132}],"technicalTags":[],"externalPartners":{"youtubeId":"eRUZ1KerOC8","dailymotionId":"x9d28zi"},"hasExternalVideo":0,"hasInternalOrExternalVideo":1,"video":1,"videos":[{"duration":65680,"editor":"","filesizeBytes":8379032,"format":"mp4","type":"normal","url":"https:\/\/video.euronews.com\/mp4\/med\/EN\/E3\/SU\/25\/01\/25\/en\/250125_E3SU_57601422_57602425_65680_190235_en.mp4","expiresAt":0,"quality":"md"},{"duration":65680,"editor":"","filesizeBytes":12938904,"format":"mp4","type":"normal","url":"https:\/\/video.euronews.com\/mp4\/EN\/E3\/SU\/25\/01\/25\/en\/250125_E3SU_57601422_57602425_65680_190235_en.mp4","expiresAt":0,"quality":"hd"}],"liveStream":[{"startDate":0,"endDate":0}],"scribbleLiveId":0,"scribbleLiveRibbon":0,"isLiveCoverage":0,"sourceId":1,"sources":[],"externalSource":null,"additionalSources":"AP","additionalReporting":"","freeField1":null,"freeField2":"","type":"normal","displayType":"default","program":{"id":"europe-news","urlSafeValue":"europe-news","title":"Europe News","online":1,"url":"https:\/\/www.euronews.com\/my-europe\/europe-news\/europe-news"},"vertical":"my-europe","verticals":[{"id":2,"slug":"my-europe","urlSafeValue":"my-europe","title":"Europe"}],"primaryVertical":{"id":2,"slug":"my-europe","urlSafeValue":"my-europe","title":"Europe"},"themes":[{"id":"europe-news","urlSafeValue":"europe-news","title":"Europe News","url":"\/my-europe\/europe-news"}],"primaryTheme":{"id":56,"urlSafeValue":"europe-news","title":"Europe News"},"advertising":0,"advertisingData":{"startDate":0,"endDate":0,"type":null,"slug":null,"title":null,"disclaimerLabelKey":null,"sponsor":null,"sponsorName":null,"sponsorUrl":null,"sponsorLogo":"","sponsorLogoReverse":"","isDfp":0},"geoLocation":{"lat":0,"lon":0},"location":1,"continent":{"id":104,"urlSafeValue":"europe","title":"Europe"},"country":{"id":125,"urlSafeValue":"germany","title":"Germany","url":"\/news\/europe\/germany"},"town":[],"contextualSignals":{"doubleVerify":{"ids":["80023001","84011001","84012006","84111001","84112005","84211001","84212001"],"slugs":["a_and_e_music","aggregated_all_moderate_content","arts_and_entertainment","law_gov_t_and_politics_legal_politics","law_government_and_politics","society","society_general"]}},"grapeshot":null,"versions":[],"programDeliverable":{"slug":"sujet","format":"default"},"showOpinionDisclaimer":0,"allViews":0,"allViewsMeta":{"pointOfView":[],"survey":[],"tweetId":0,"tweet2NdId":0,"displayOverlay":0},"storyTranslationMethod":[],"localisation":[],"path":"\/my-europe\/2025\/01\/26\/thousands-protest-in-germany-against-the-far-right-as-afd-party-begins-election-campaign","lastModified":1737913384},{"id":2737450,"cid":9000162,"versionId":3,"archive":0,"housenumber":"250124_E3SU_57592918","owner":"euronews","isMagazine":0,"isBreakingNews":0,"daletEventName":"GERMANY REAX TO MERZ ON MIGRATION","channels":[{"id":1},{"id":2},{"id":3},{"id":4},{"id":5},{"id":10},{"id":12},{"id":14}],"status":2,"title":"Germany's opposition leader Merz under fire for vowing migration crackdown","titleSeo":null,"titleListing1":"Germany's Merz under fire for vowing migration crackdown","titleListing2":"Germany's opposition leader Merz under fire for five-point tougher migration plan ","leadin":"Friedrich Merz, leader of the Christian Democratic Union (CDU), has pledged to impose tough border controls if elected chancellor in next month's vote.","summary":"Friedrich Merz, leader of the Christian Democratic Union (CDU), has pledged to impose tough border controls if elected chancellor in next month's vote.","keySentence":"","url":"germanys-opposition-leader-merz-under-fire-for-vowing-migration-crackdown","canonical":"https:\/\/www.euronews.com\/my-europe\/2025\/01\/24\/germanys-opposition-leader-merz-under-fire-for-vowing-migration-crackdown","masterCms":"v2","plainText":"Germany's opposition leader Friedrich Merz is under fire for vowing strict border controls if he is elected chancellor, with the frontrunner citing a deadly knife attack that was allegedly carried out by a rejected asylum seeker as justification for a migration overhaul.\n\nThe leader of the Christian Democratic Union (CDU) on Thursday presented a five-point migration plan calling for, among other things, a \"de facto entry ban\" for all people without valid documents and permanent control of all of Germany's borders. \n\nMerz announced his plan a day after two people, including a 2-year-old boy, were killed and three others injured during an attack in the Bavarian city of Aschaffenburg. \n\nThe suspect, arrested shortly afterwards, is a 28-year-old Afghan with a history of psychiatric problems and violence who said over a month ago that he would leave Germany voluntarily.\n\nSeveral politicians have criticised Merz's plan as legally contentious and impractical to implement \u2014 pointing out its incompatibility with migration and asylum laws and treaties such as the Geneva Convention and the EU's principle of free movement.\n\nThe Greens deputy leader in the Bundestag, Konstantin von Notz, described the measures as \"neither constitutional nor European law compliant\", local media reported. \n\nThe premier of Saarland state, Anke Rehlinger, emphasised that Germany should take an approach to migration policy that was in line with the rest of Europe. \n\n\"We need a common European asylum policy,\" the Social Democrats (SPD) politician told Stern magazine. \n\nMeanwhile, the country's largest police trade union pointed to the impracticality of using officers to permanently control Germany's borders. \n\n\"We have 3,800 kilometres of internal borders,\" the union's representative, Andreas Ro\u00dfkopf, said on MDR radio. \n\n\"The type of border controls we already have are at the limit of what is feasible,\" he said, adding that investment in tools such as license plate recognition technology would be more practical in controlling the flow of migration at Germany's border. \n\nFor his part, Merz called EU-wide rules \"recognisably dysfunctional\" and insisted he would order his migration plan to be implemented on day one if he is elected chancellor. \n\nGermany's snap federal election is set for 23 February, and polls suggest the CDU is set to win with a minority. Chancellor Olaf Scholz's SPD is third in the latest surveys, behind the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD). \n\nPrerequisite for a coalition\n\nDespite opposition from other parties, Merz said that agreement with his plan would be a prerequisite to forming a coalition with the CDU after the vote next month. On Friday, he said his migration overhaul should be voted on in parliament ahead of the election.\n\nMerz has steadfastly ruled out the possibility of working with the controversial AfD \u2014 which has been traditionally shunned in parliament amongst Germany's more established parties. \n\nYet the AfD's candidate for chancellor, Alice Weidel, emphatically supported Merz's proposals, which she claimed her party had put forward first. Weidel said that the AfD could work with the CDU in order to gather enough votes for Merz's measures to pass.\n\nThe CDU confirmed on Friday that the party would submit the migration proposal to be voted on in the Bundestag and would be prepared to collect votes from any other party \u2014 including the AfD \u2014 that supported the measures, according to the Berliner Zeitung. \n\nThe outgoing government of the SPD, the Greens, and the Free Democratic Party (FDP) pointed out it had already instituted temporary controls on Germany's borders, with Interior Minister Nancy Faeser accusing Merz of \"electioneering\" over his proposal. \n\n\u201cWhat is he promising people? If this is not fulfilled, that also destroys trust,\u201d Faeser said. \n\nGermany's mainstream parties are however feeling pressure to comply with stricter migration policies as opinion surveys show that discontent over migration is a key issue for voters, and a factor that has bolstered support for the firmly anti-immigration AfD. \n\nThe attack in Bavaria follows stabbings in Mannheim and Solingen last year in which the suspects were immigrants from Afghanistan and Syria, further fuelling anti-immigration sentiment in the country.\n\nOn Thursday, opposition parties complained there have been no further deportations to Afghanistan since a first flight in August last year. \n\nFaeser said the government was \"working intensively on deporting more criminals to Afghanistan\", and that \"we have reduced irregular migration strongly\".\n\nAuthorities say nearly 230,000 people applied for asylum in Germany last year, a 30% decrease from the previous year. There were 18,384 deportations in first 11 months of 2024, compared with 16,430 in all of 2023.\n\n","htmlText":"Germany's opposition leader Friedrich Merz is under fire for vowing strict border controls if he is elected chancellor, with the frontrunner citing a deadly knife attack that was allegedly carried out by a rejected asylum seeker as justification for a migration overhaul.<\/p>\nThe leader of the Christian Democratic Union (CDU) on Thursday presented a five-point migration plan calling for, among other things, a \"de facto entry ban\" for all people without valid documents and permanent control of all of Germany's borders. <\/p>\nMerz announced his plan a day after two people, including a 2-year-old boy, were killed and three others injured during an attack in the Bavarian city of Aschaffenburg. <\/p>\nThe suspect, arrested shortly afterwards, is a 28-year-old Afghan with a history of psychiatric problems and violence who said over a month ago that he would leave Germany voluntarily.<\/p>\nSeveral politicians have criticised Merz's plan as legally contentious and impractical to implement \u2014 pointing out its incompatibility with migration and asylum laws and treaties such as the Geneva Convention and the EU's principle of free movement.<\/p>\nThe Greens deputy leader in the Bundestag, Konstantin von Notz, described the measures as \"neither constitutional nor European law compliant\", local media reported. <\/p>\n<div class=\"c-widget-related\" data-stories-id=\"8997602,8958336\" data-event=\"widget_related\">\n <div class=\"c-widget-related__title\">\n Related<\/b>\n <\/div>\n <ul class=\"c-widget-related__list\">\n <li class=\"c-widget-related__item\"><a class=\"c-widget-related__article\" href=https://www.euronews.com/"https:////www.euronews.com//my-europe//2025//01//10//the-man-tipped-to-be-austrias-next-chancellor-advocates-remigration-what-does-it-mean/">The man tipped to be Austria's next Chancellor advocates 'remigration'. What does it mean?<\/a><\/li><li class=\"c-widget-related__item\"><a class=\"c-widget-related__article\" href=https://www.euronews.com/"https:////www.euronews.com//2025//01//23//german-cdu-leader-friedrich-merz-vows-to-toughen-migration-policy/">German CDU leader Friedrich Merz vows to toughen migration policy<\/a><\/li>\n <\/ul>\n<\/div>\n\n\nThe premier of Saarland state, Anke Rehlinger, emphasised that Germany should take an approach to migration policy that was in line with the rest of Europe. <\/p>\n\"We need a common European asylum policy,\" the Social Democrats (SPD) politician told Stern magazine. <\/p>\nMeanwhile, the country's largest police trade union pointed to the impracticality of using officers to permanently control Germany's borders. <\/p>\n\"We have 3,800 kilometres of internal borders,\" the union's representative, Andreas Ro\u00dfkopf, said on MDR radio. <\/p>\n\"The type of border controls we already have are at the limit of what is feasible,\" he said, adding that investment in tools such as license plate recognition technology would be more practical in controlling the flow of migration at Germany's border. <\/p>\nFor his part, Merz called EU-wide rules \"recognisably dysfunctional\" and insisted he would order his migration plan to be implemented on day one if he is elected chancellor. <\/p>\nGermany's snap federal election is set for 23 February, and<a href=https://www.euronews.com/"https:////www.wahlrecht.de//umfragen///"> polls <\/a>suggest the CDU is set to win with a minority. Chancellor Olaf Scholz's SPD is third in the latest surveys, behind the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD). <\/p>\n<h2>Prerequisite for a coalition<\/h2>Despite opposition from other parties, Merz said that agreement with his plan would be a prerequisite to forming a coalition with the CDU after the vote next month. On Friday, he said his migration overhaul should be voted on in parliament ahead of the election.<\/p>\nMerz has steadfastly ruled out the possibility of working with the controversial AfD \u2014 which has been traditionally shunned in parliament amongst Germany's more established parties. <\/p>\nYet the AfD's candidate for chancellor, Alice Weidel, emphatically supported Merz's proposals, which she claimed her party had put forward first. Weidel said that the AfD could work with the CDU in order to gather enough votes for Merz's measures to pass.<\/p>\nThe CDU confirmed on Friday that the party would submit the migration proposal to be voted on in the Bundestag and would be prepared to collect votes from any other party \u2014 including the AfD \u2014 that supported the measures, according to the Berliner Zeitung. <\/p>\n<div class=\"c-widget-related\" data-stories-id=\"8953140,8993492\" data-event=\"widget_related\">\n <div class=\"c-widget-related__title\">\n Related<\/b>\n <\/div>\n <ul class=\"c-widget-related__list\">\n <li class=\"c-widget-related__item\"><a class=\"c-widget-related__article\" href=https://www.euronews.com/"https:////www.euronews.com//my-europe//2025//01//07//germanys-greens-csu-kick-off-election-campaigns-ahead-of-23-february-vote/">Germany's Greens and CSU kick off election campaigns ahead of February vote<\/a><\/li><li class=\"c-widget-related__item\"><a class=\"c-widget-related__article\" href=https://www.euronews.com/"https:////www.euronews.com//my-europe//2025//01//23//afds-failure-to-appeal-extremist-classification-in-saxony-raises-questions-over-national-b/">AfD's failure to appeal 'extremist' classification in Saxony raises questions over national ban<\/a><\/li>\n <\/ul>\n<\/div>\n\n\nThe outgoing government of the SPD, the Greens, and the Free Democratic Party (FDP) pointed out it had already instituted temporary controls on Germany's borders, with Interior Minister Nancy Faeser accusing Merz of \"electioneering\" over his proposal. <\/p>\n\u201cWhat is he promising people? If this is not fulfilled, that also destroys trust,\u201d Faeser said. <\/p>\nGermany's mainstream parties are however feeling pressure to comply with stricter migration policies as opinion surveys show that discontent over migration is a key issue for voters, and a factor that has bolstered support for the firmly anti-immigration AfD. <\/p>\nThe attack in Bavaria follows stabbings in Mannheim and Solingen last year in which the suspects were immigrants from Afghanistan and Syria, further fuelling anti-immigration sentiment in the country.<\/p>\nOn Thursday, opposition parties complained there have been no further deportations to Afghanistan since a first flight in August last year. <\/p>\nFaeser said the government was \"working intensively on deporting more criminals to Afghanistan\", and that \"we have reduced irregular migration strongly\".<\/p>\nAuthorities say nearly 230,000 people applied for asylum in Germany last year, a 30% decrease from the previous year. There were 18,384 deportations in first 11 months of 2024, compared with 16,430 in all of 2023.<\/p>\n","hashtag":null,"createdAt":1737713287,"updatedAt":1737730458,"publishedAt":1737729554,"firstPublishedAt":1737729554,"lastPublishedAt":1737730244,"expiresAt":0,"images":[{"sourceUrl":null,"sourceCredit":null,"callToActionUrl":null,"captionCredit":"AP Photo\/Ebrahim Noroozi","altText":"German opposition leader and chairman of the Christian Democratic Union party Friedrich Merz attends the Annual Meeting of World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, Tuesday.","callToActionText":null,"width":1024,"caption":"German opposition leader and chairman of the Christian Democratic Union party Friedrich Merz attends the Annual Meeting of World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, Tuesday.","url":"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/00\/01\/62\/{{w}}x{{h}}_cmsv2_41ba1640-5d5b-5b35-9ff3-a62b3bc576ab-9000162.jpg","captionUrl":null,"height":576}],"authors":{"journalists":[{"urlSafeValue":"paternoster","twitter":null,"id":2940,"title":"Tamsin Paternoster"}],"producers":[],"videoEditor":[]},"keywords":[{"urlSafeValue":"friedrich-merz","titleRaw":"Friedrich Merz","id":17640,"title":"Friedrich Merz","slug":"friedrich-merz"},{"urlSafeValue":"germany","titleRaw":"Germany","id":125,"title":"Germany","slug":"germany"},{"urlSafeValue":"migration","titleRaw":"migration","id":13450,"title":"migration","slug":"migration"},{"urlSafeValue":"spd","titleRaw":"SPD","id":12996,"title":"SPD","slug":"spd"}],"widgets":[{"count":2,"slug":"related"}],"related":[{"id":2736596},{"id":2698508}],"technicalTags":[],"externalPartners":[],"hasExternalVideo":0,"hasInternalOrExternalVideo":0,"video":0,"videos":[],"liveStream":[{"endDate":0,"startDate":0}],"scribbleLiveId":0,"scribbleLiveRibbon":0,"isLiveCoverage":0,"sourceId":1,"sources":[],"externalSource":null,"additionalSources":null,"additionalReporting":null,"freeField1":null,"freeField2":"","type":"normal","displayType":"default","program":{"id":"europe-news","urlSafeValue":"europe-news","title":"Europe News","online":1,"url":"https:\/\/www.euronews.com\/my-europe\/europe-news\/europe-news"},"vertical":"my-europe","verticals":[{"urlSafeValue":"my-europe","id":2,"title":"Europe","slug":"my-europe"}],"primaryVertical":{"id":2,"slug":"my-europe","urlSafeValue":"my-europe","title":"Europe"},"themes":[{"urlSafeValue":"europe-news","id":"europe-news","title":"Europe News","url":"\/my-europe\/europe-news"}],"primaryTheme":{"id":56,"urlSafeValue":"europe-news","title":"Europe News"},"advertising":0,"advertisingData":{"startDate":0,"endDate":0,"type":null,"slug":null,"title":null,"disclaimerLabelKey":null,"sponsor":null,"sponsorName":null,"sponsorUrl":null,"sponsorLogo":"","sponsorLogoReverse":"","isDfp":0},"geoLocation":{"lat":0,"lon":0},"location":1,"continent":{"id":104,"urlSafeValue":"europe","title":"Europe"},"country":{"id":125,"urlSafeValue":"germany","title":"Germany","url":"\/news\/europe\/germany"},"town":[],"contextualSignals":{"doubleVerify":{"ids":["80023001","80122003","80122006","80222003","80222006","84111001","84112003","84112005","84211001","84212001"],"slugs":["aggregated_all_moderate_content","crime_high_and_medium_risk","crime_high_medium_and_low_risk","law_gov_t_and_politics_immigration","law_gov_t_and_politics_legal_politics","law_government_and_politics","society","society_general","violence_high_and_medium_risk","violence_high_medium_and_low_risk"]}},"grapeshot":null,"versions":[],"programDeliverable":{"slug":"sujet","format":"default"},"showOpinionDisclaimer":0,"allViews":0,"allViewsMeta":{"pointOfView":[],"survey":[],"tweetId":0,"tweet2NdId":0,"displayOverlay":0},"storyTranslationMethod":[],"localisation":[],"path":"\/my-europe\/2025\/01\/24\/germanys-opposition-leader-merz-under-fire-for-vowing-migration-crackdown","lastModified":1737730244},{"id":2736596,"cid":8997602,"versionId":1,"archive":0,"housenumber":"250123_NWSU_57585325","owner":"euronews","isMagazine":0,"isBreakingNews":0,"daletEventName":"MERZ ON ILLEGAL MIGRATION","channels":[{"id":1},{"id":2},{"id":3},{"id":4},{"id":5},{"id":10},{"id":12},{"id":14}],"status":2,"title":"German CDU leader Friedrich Merz vows to toughen migration policy","titleSeo":null,"titleListing1":"German CDU leader Friedrich Merz vows to toughen migration policy","titleListing2":"The leader of German's CDU, Friedrich Merz, vows to toughen migration policy","leadin":"Merz, whose centre-right bloc currently tops the polls, is toughening his stance on migration ahead of federal elections next month.","summary":"Merz, whose centre-right bloc currently tops the polls, is toughening his stance on migration ahead of federal elections next month.","keySentence":"","url":"german-cdu-leader-friedrich-merz-vows-to-toughen-migration-policy","canonical":"https:\/\/www.euronews.com\/2025\/01\/23\/german-cdu-leader-friedrich-merz-vows-to-toughen-migration-policy","masterCms":"v2","plainText":"The leader of Germany's Christian Democratic Union (CDU), Friedrich Merz, has vowed to crackdown on illegal immigration if he becomes chancellor after Bundestag elections next month. \n\nMerz said on Thursday that he would bar people without proper papers from entering Germany, and promised to increase deportations.\n\nHis remarks came the day after two people, including a two-year-old boy, were killed and three others injured in a stabbing in the Bavarian city of Aschaffenburg.\n\nThe suspect, who has been arrested, was a former asylum seeker. He was known to local authorities and had been previously admitted to a psychiatric hospital, and reportedly had said over a month ago that he would leave the country voluntarily. \n\nMerz said the attack had \"caused great consternation throughout the country\", and linked it to other incidents as he laid out his new position \u2014 implicitly distancing himself from the governing record of his CDU colleague, former chancellor Angela Merkel.\n\n\"I refuse to recognise that the acts of Mannheim, Solingen, Magdeburg and now Aschaffenburg are supposed to be the new normal in Germany,\" he said. \"Enough is enough. We are faced with the shambles of an asylum and immigration policy that has been misguided in Germany for 10 years.\"\n\nChancellor Olaf Scholz, meanwhile, met the heads of the country's security services on Wednesday evening and said they will \"draw the necessary consequences,\" although he didn't specify what those would be.\n\nPolls show that with just a month to go till February's election, support for Scholz\u2019s Social Democrats, the Greens, and the liberal pro-business Free Democrats has declined since the three parties' governing \"traffic light\" coalition collapsed.\n\nMeanwhile, opinion polls show that support has increased for both the CDU and the extreme Alternative for Germany, or AfD. \n\n","htmlText":"The leader of Germany's Christian Democratic Union (CDU), Friedrich Merz, has vowed to crackdown on illegal immigration if he becomes chancellor after Bundestag elections next month. <\/p>\nMerz said on Thursday that he would bar people without proper papers from entering Germany, and promised to increase deportations.<\/p>\nHis remarks came the day after two people, including a two-year-old boy, were killed and three others injured in a stabbing in the Bavarian city of Aschaffenburg.<\/p>\nThe suspect, who has been arrested, was a former asylum seeker. He was known to local authorities and had been previously admitted to a psychiatric hospital, and reportedly had said over a month ago that he would leave the country voluntarily. <\/p>\nMerz said the attack had \"caused great consternation throughout the country\", and linked it to other incidents as he laid out his new position \u2014 implicitly distancing himself from the governing record of his CDU colleague, former chancellor Angela Merkel.<\/p>\n\"I refuse to recognise that the acts of Mannheim, Solingen, Magdeburg and now Aschaffenburg are supposed to be the new normal in Germany,\" he said. \"Enough is enough. We are faced with the shambles of an asylum and immigration policy that has been misguided in Germany for 10 years.\"<\/p>\n<div class=\"c-widget-related\" data-stories-id=\"8898488,8980090\" data-event=\"widget_related\">\n <div class=\"c-widget-related__title\">\n Related<\/b>\n <\/div>\n <ul class=\"c-widget-related__list\">\n <li class=\"c-widget-related__item\"><a class=\"c-widget-related__article\" href=https://www.euronews.com/"https:////www.euronews.com//my-europe//2024//12//09//germanys-cdu-leader-friedrich-merz-visits-kyiv-to-reaffirm-support/">Germany's CDU leader Friedrich Merz visits Kyiv to reaffirm support<\/a><\/li><li class=\"c-widget-related__item\"><a class=\"c-widget-related__article\" href=https://www.euronews.com/"https:////www.euronews.com//my-europe//2025//01//17//germanys-scholz-under-fire-for-blocking-extra-3-billion-aid-package-for-ukraine/">Germany's Scholz under fire for blocking extra \u20ac3 billion aid package for Ukraine<\/a><\/li>\n <\/ul>\n<\/div>\n\n\nChancellor Olaf Scholz, meanwhile, met the heads of the country's security services on Wednesday evening and said they will \"draw the necessary consequences,\" although he didn't specify what those would be.<\/p>\nPolls show that with just a month to go till February's election, support for Scholz\u2019s Social Democrats, the Greens, and the liberal pro-business Free Democrats has declined since the three parties' governing \"traffic light\" coalition collapsed.<\/p>\nMeanwhile, opinion polls show that support has increased for both the CDU and the extreme Alternative for Germany, or AfD. <\/p>\n","hashtag":null,"createdAt":1737636012,"updatedAt":1737651066,"publishedAt":1737648328,"firstPublishedAt":1737648328,"lastPublishedAt":1737648328,"expiresAt":0,"images":[{"url":"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/08\/99\/76\/02\/{{w}}x{{h}}_cmsv2_b0cbc6f8-ec09-5a72-a89a-b0706ed82d73-8997602.jpg","altText":"Friedrich Merz, German opposition leader and chairman of the CDU party, speaks at the Global Leaders Dialogue in Berlin, Germany, Thursday, Jan. 23, 2025.","caption":"Friedrich Merz, German opposition leader and chairman of the CDU party, speaks at the Global Leaders Dialogue in Berlin, Germany, Thursday, Jan. 23, 2025.","captionUrl":null,"captionCredit":"AP Photo\/Ebrahim Noroozi","sourceUrl":null,"sourceCredit":null,"callToActionUrl":null,"callToActionText":null,"width":1024,"height":576}],"authors":{"journalists":[],"producers":[],"videoEditor":[]},"keywords":[{"id":125,"slug":"germany","urlSafeValue":"germany","title":"Germany","titleRaw":"Germany"},{"id":13518,"slug":"stabbing","urlSafeValue":"stabbing","title":"stabbing","titleRaw":"stabbing"},{"id":15140,"slug":"secim-mitingi","urlSafeValue":"secim-mitingi","title":"election campaign","titleRaw":"election campaign"}],"widgets":[{"slug":"related","count":1}],"related":[{"id":2735274},{"id":2705426},{"id":2735536}],"technicalTags":[],"externalPartners":{"youtubeId":"aOOI16_SveE","dailymotionId":"x9cwv6m"},"hasExternalVideo":0,"hasInternalOrExternalVideo":0,"video":1,"videos":[{"duration":85000,"editor":"","filesizeBytes":10762510,"format":"mp4","type":"normal","url":"https:\/\/video.euronews.com\/mp4\/med\/EN\/NW\/SU\/25\/01\/23\/en\/250123_NWSU_57585325_57585364_85000_174456_en.mp4","expiresAt":0,"quality":"md"},{"duration":85000,"editor":"","filesizeBytes":16100622,"format":"mp4","type":"normal","url":"https:\/\/video.euronews.com\/mp4\/EN\/NW\/SU\/25\/01\/23\/en\/250123_NWSU_57585325_57585364_85000_174456_en.mp4","expiresAt":0,"quality":"hd"}],"liveStream":[{"startDate":0,"endDate":0}],"scribbleLiveId":0,"scribbleLiveRibbon":0,"isLiveCoverage":0,"sourceId":1,"sources":[],"externalSource":"AP","additionalSources":"","additionalReporting":"Euronews","freeField1":null,"freeField2":"","type":"normal","displayType":"default","program":{"id":"world","urlSafeValue":"world","title":"World News","online":1,"url":"https:\/\/www.euronews.com\/programs\/world"},"vertical":"news","verticals":[{"id":1,"slug":"news","urlSafeValue":"news","title":"News"}],"primaryVertical":{"id":1,"slug":"news","urlSafeValue":"news","title":"News"},"themes":[{"id":"news","urlSafeValue":"news","title":"World","url":"\/news\/international"}],"primaryTheme":{"id":1,"urlSafeValue":"news","title":"World"},"advertising":0,"advertisingData":{"startDate":0,"endDate":0,"type":null,"slug":null,"title":null,"disclaimerLabelKey":null,"sponsor":null,"sponsorName":null,"sponsorUrl":null,"sponsorLogo":"","sponsorLogoReverse":"","isDfp":0},"geoLocation":{"lat":0,"lon":0},"location":1,"continent":{"id":104,"urlSafeValue":"europe","title":"Europe"},"country":{"id":125,"urlSafeValue":"germany","title":"Germany","url":"\/news\/europe\/germany"},"town":{"id":1734,"urlSafeValue":"berlin","title":"Berlin"},"contextualSignals":{"doubleVerify":{"ids":[],"slugs":[]}},"grapeshot":null,"versions":[],"programDeliverable":{"slug":"sujet","format":"default"},"showOpinionDisclaimer":0,"allViews":0,"allViewsMeta":{"pointOfView":[],"survey":[],"tweetId":0,"tweet2NdId":0,"displayOverlay":0},"storyTranslationMethod":[],"localisation":[],"path":"\/2025\/01\/23\/german-cdu-leader-friedrich-merz-vows-to-toughen-migration-policy","lastModified":1737648328},{"id":2735274,"cid":8993492,"versionId":1,"archive":0,"housenumber":"250122_E3SU_57574243","owner":"euronews","isMagazine":0,"isBreakingNews":0,"daletEventName":"AfD, far right classification Germany (German web by Mathias)","channels":[{"id":1},{"id":2},{"id":3},{"id":4},{"id":5},{"id":10},{"id":12},{"id":14}],"status":2,"title":"AfD's failure to appeal 'extremist' classification in Saxony raises questions over national ban","titleSeo":null,"titleListing1":"AfD fails to appeal 'extremist' ruling in Saxony \u2014 what now?","titleListing2":"The AfD has failed in its effort to appeal a judgment that labelled its Saxony wing \"extremist\". What happens next?","leadin":"The party's state association in Saxony is now officially classed as a \"right-wing extremist\" organisation. Could the AfD soon be facing a national ban?","summary":"The party's state association in Saxony is now officially classed as a \"right-wing extremist\" organisation. Could the AfD soon be facing a national ban?","keySentence":"","url":"afds-failure-to-appeal-extremist-classification-in-saxony-raises-questions-over-national-b","canonical":"https:\/\/www.euronews.com\/my-europe\/2025\/01\/23\/afds-failure-to-appeal-extremist-classification-in-saxony-raises-questions-over-national-b","masterCms":"v2","plainText":"With a federal election looming, the far-right party Alternative for Germany (AfD) suffered a blow after a court ruled that its Saxony branch can now be classified as a right-wing extremist organisation. The party has no recourse to appeal the judgement.\n\nIts youth organisation \"Junge Alternative\", which was only recently separated from the AfD at large, had already been given the same classification.\n\nThe court justified its decision by stating that various party positions contradicted Germany's basic democratic order. In particular, its stance on migration policy was singled out as incompatible with the respect for human dignity laid down in the German constitution.\n\nThe Saxony ruling comes not only in the midst of the campaign for the Bundestag elections on 23 February but also in the thick of a national discussion about potentially banning the AfD nationwide \u2014 a matter which the Bundestag could revisit as soon as next week.\n\n\"The debate in Germany is unique,\" Professor Hajo Funke from the Free University of Berlin told Euronews. \"The tradition we have is that we don't want to go back to the danger of the far right. We have the example of national-socialism (ie Nazism) as a warning.\"\n\nNevertheless, he is sceptical about an all-out party ban at this time.\n\n\"The focus must now be on drawing public attention to the party's anti-democratic orientation. You have to be careful that a ban doesn't create a martyr,\" Prof Funke explained.\n\nThe election factor\n\nAuthor and right-wing extremism expert Andreas Speit takes a different view.\n\n\"The national leadership of the AfD is just as radical as the state associations in Saxony or Thuringia,\" he says, pointing out that for parties like the AfD, portraying themselves as victims is a part of the narrative.\n\n\"A ban would primarily be a political signal for society as a whole to say: this far and no further \u2014 and to remove the party's legal framework,\" Speit told Euronews.\n\nHowever, any ban against the entire party is highly unlikely to be initiated before the Bundestag elections. Federal Chancellor Olaf Scholz and opposition centre-right CDU parliamentary group leader Friedrich Merz, among others, have recently spoken out against it, and the legal hurdles that stand in the way of an outright ban are high.\n\nRegarding the upcoming election, Speit said that the AfD mainly focuses on a potential realignment of the German right.\n\n\"At the moment, the AfD's main opponent is Merz's CDU. The long-term strategy is to split the conservative camp to then seek cooperation with the less moderate conservatives in later elections, according to them,\" Speit explained.\n\nOne question is crucial to a possible nationwide AfD ban. \"Where are the social boundaries? What can a party be allowed to get away with \u2014 and what can it not?\" Speit asked.\n\n","htmlText":"With a federal election looming, the far-right party Alternative for Germany (AfD) suffered a blow after a court ruled that its Saxony branch can now be classified as a <a href=https://www.euronews.com/"https:////de.euronews.com//my-europe//2025//01//21//afd-sachsen-rechtsextrem-eingestuft/">right-wing extremist<\/strong><\/a> organisation. The party has no recourse to appeal the judgement.<\/p>\nIts youth organisation \"Junge Alternative\", which was only recently separated from the <a href=https://www.euronews.com/"https:////de.euronews.com//tag//afd/">AfD at large, had already been given the same classification.<\/p>\nThe court justified its decision by stating that various party positions contradicted Germany's basic democratic order. In particular, its stance on migration policy was singled out as incompatible with the respect for human dignity laid down in the German constitution.<\/p>\nThe Saxony ruling comes not only in the midst of the campaign for the Bundestag elections on 23 February but also in the thick of a national discussion about potentially banning the AfD nationwide \u2014 a matter which the Bundestag could revisit as soon as next week.<\/p>\n\"The debate in Germany is unique,\" Professor Hajo Funke from the Free University of Berlin told Euronews. \"The tradition we have is that we don't want to go back to the danger of the far right. We have the example of national-socialism (ie Nazism) as a warning.\"<\/p>\nNevertheless, he is sceptical about an all-out party ban at this time.<\/p>\n\"The focus must now be on drawing public attention to the party's anti-democratic orientation. You have to be careful that a ban doesn't create a martyr,\" Prof Funke explained.<\/p>\n<h2>The election factor<\/h2>Author and right-wing extremism expert Andreas Speit takes a different view.<\/p>\n\"The national leadership of the AfD is just as radical as the state associations in Saxony or Thuringia,\" he says, pointing out that for parties like the AfD, portraying themselves as victims is a part of the narrative.<\/p>\n\"A ban would primarily be a political signal for society as a whole to say: this far and no further \u2014 and to remove the party's legal framework,\" Speit told Euronews.<\/p>\nHowever, any ban against the entire party is highly unlikely to be initiated before the Bundestag elections. Federal Chancellor Olaf Scholz and opposition centre-right CDU parliamentary group leader Friedrich Merz, among others, have recently spoken out against it, and the legal hurdles that stand in the way of an outright ban are high.<\/p>\n<div class=\"c-widget-related\" data-stories-id=\"8993314,8971306\" data-event=\"widget_related\">\n <div class=\"c-widget-related__title\">\n Related<\/b>\n <\/div>\n <ul class=\"c-widget-related__list\">\n <li class=\"c-widget-related__item\"><a class=\"c-widget-related__article\" href=https://www.euronews.com/"https:////www.euronews.com//my-europe//2025//01//22//afd-receives-a-record-donation-of-15-million-how-are-political-parties-in-germany-financed/">AfD receives a record donation of \u20ac1.5 million: How are political parties in Germany financed? <\/a><\/li><li class=\"c-widget-related__item\"><a class=\"c-widget-related__article\" href=https://www.euronews.com/"https:////www.euronews.com//my-europe//2025//01//14//german-police-investigate-afd-for-sending-out-deportation-tickets/">German police investigate AfD for sending out 'deportation tickets'<\/a><\/li>\n <\/ul>\n<\/div>\n\n\nRegarding the upcoming election, Speit said that the AfD mainly focuses on a potential realignment of the German right.<\/p>\n\"At the moment, the AfD's main opponent is Merz's CDU. The long-term strategy is to split the conservative camp to then seek cooperation with the less moderate conservatives in later elections, according to them,\" Speit explained.<\/p>\nOne question is crucial to a possible nationwide AfD ban. \"Where are the social boundaries? What can a party be allowed to get away with \u2014 and what can it not?\" Speit asked.<\/p>\n","hashtag":null,"createdAt":1737538893,"updatedAt":1737640193,"publishedAt":1737640190,"firstPublishedAt":1737640190,"lastPublishedAt":1737640190,"expiresAt":0,"images":[{"url":"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/08\/43\/99\/54\/{{w}}x{{h}}_cmsv2_290e1512-8c33-5361-9a96-66c89e3a3084-8439954.jpg","altText":"The logo of the Alternative for Germany (AfD) party is seen during a press conference after the general election in Berlin, Monday, 23 September 2013.","caption":"The logo of the Alternative for Germany (AfD) party is seen during a press conference after the general election in Berlin, Monday, 23 September 2013.","captionUrl":null,"captionCredit":"Jens Meyer\/Copyright 2024 The AP. All rights reserved.","sourceUrl":null,"sourceCredit":null,"callToActionUrl":null,"callToActionText":null,"width":1024,"height":868}],"authors":{"journalists":[{"id":3324,"urlSafeValue":"huber","title":"Mathias Huber","twitter":null}],"producers":[],"videoEditor":[]},"keywords":[{"id":125,"slug":"germany","urlSafeValue":"germany","title":"Germany","titleRaw":"Germany"},{"id":11378,"slug":"far-right","urlSafeValue":"far-right","title":"Far-right","titleRaw":"Far-right"},{"id":17206,"slug":"afd","urlSafeValue":"afd","title":"Alternative for Germany","titleRaw":"Alternative for Germany"},{"id":30264,"slug":"german-election-2025","urlSafeValue":"german-election-2025","title":"German election 2025","titleRaw":"German election 2025"}],"widgets":[{"slug":"related","count":1}],"related":[{"id":2721834},{"id":2725132},{"id":2730090}],"technicalTags":[],"externalPartners":[],"hasExternalVideo":0,"hasInternalOrExternalVideo":0,"video":0,"videos":[],"liveStream":[{"startDate":0,"endDate":0}],"scribbleLiveId":0,"scribbleLiveRibbon":0,"isLiveCoverage":0,"sourceId":1,"sources":[],"externalSource":null,"additionalSources":null,"additionalReporting":null,"freeField1":null,"freeField2":"","type":"normal","displayType":"default","program":{"id":"europe-news","urlSafeValue":"europe-news","title":"Europe News","online":1,"url":"https:\/\/www.euronews.com\/my-europe\/europe-news\/europe-news"},"vertical":"my-europe","verticals":[{"id":2,"slug":"my-europe","urlSafeValue":"my-europe","title":"Europe"}],"primaryVertical":{"id":2,"slug":"my-europe","urlSafeValue":"my-europe","title":"Europe"},"themes":[{"id":"europe-news","urlSafeValue":"europe-news","title":"Europe News","url":"\/my-europe\/europe-news"}],"primaryTheme":{"id":56,"urlSafeValue":"europe-news","title":"Europe News"},"advertising":0,"advertisingData":{"startDate":0,"endDate":0,"type":null,"slug":null,"title":null,"disclaimerLabelKey":null,"sponsor":null,"sponsorName":null,"sponsorUrl":null,"sponsorLogo":"","sponsorLogoReverse":"","isDfp":0},"geoLocation":{"lat":0,"lon":0},"location":1,"continent":{"id":104,"urlSafeValue":"europe","title":"Europe"},"country":{"id":125,"urlSafeValue":"germany","title":"Germany","url":"\/news\/europe\/germany"},"town":[],"contextualSignals":{"doubleVerify":{"ids":["80023001","84051001","84052001","84111001","84112005","84211001","84212001"],"slugs":["aggregated_all_moderate_content","education","education_general","law_gov_t_and_politics_legal_politics","law_government_and_politics","society","society_general"]}},"grapeshot":null,"versions":[],"programDeliverable":{"slug":"sujet","format":"default"},"showOpinionDisclaimer":0,"allViews":0,"allViewsMeta":{"pointOfView":[],"survey":[],"tweetId":0,"tweet2NdId":0,"displayOverlay":0},"storyTranslationMethod":{"id":1,"slug":"deepl","isAutomatic":1,"isActive":1},"localisation":{"producerLanguage":"de","storyId":8993496,"online":1},"path":"\/my-europe\/2025\/01\/23\/afds-failure-to-appeal-extremist-classification-in-saxony-raises-questions-over-national-b","lastModified":1737640190},{"id":2735218,"cid":8993280,"versionId":1,"archive":0,"housenumber":"250123_EYSU_57573701","owner":"euronews","isMagazine":0,"isBreakingNews":0,"daletEventName":"EUROVERIFY GERMAN TIKTOK","channels":[{"id":1},{"id":2},{"id":3},{"id":4},{"id":5},{"id":10},{"id":12},{"id":14}],"status":2,"title":"TikTok users in Germany more susceptible to Russian and Chinese misinformation, says report","titleSeo":null,"titleListing1":"German TikTokers more susceptible to Russian fake news, says report","titleListing2":"TikTok users in Germany more susceptible to Russian and Chinese misinformation, says report","leadin":"TikTok users and young people in Germany are significantly less suspicious and have a more favourable view of Moscow and Beijing, according to the study, which flags it as a concern ahead of Germany's upcoming elections.","summary":"TikTok users and young people in Germany are significantly less suspicious and have a more favourable view of Moscow and Beijing, according to the study, which flags it as a concern ahead of Germany's upcoming elections.","keySentence":"","url":"tiktok-users-in-germany-more-susceptible-to-russian-and-chinese-misinformation-says-report","canonical":"https:\/\/www.euronews.com\/2025\/01\/23\/tiktok-users-in-germany-more-susceptible-to-russian-and-chinese-misinformation-says-report","masterCms":"v2","plainText":"Young Germans who use TikTok are more likely to be climate sceptics, be less critical of Russia's invasion of Ukraine, and believe that the Chinese political system is better than democracy, according to a new study.\n\nThe liberal politics Friedrich Naumann Foundation, which commissioned the study, said that it shows how disinformation narratives and foreign propaganda are impacting Germany as its February elections approach.\n\n\"Ahead of the federal elections, concerns about foreign disinformation are growing,\" the foundation said. \"The federal government fears that foreign states are deliberately influencing the public debate. The Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution is warning against false reports and manipulation.\"\n\nIt said that young people and TikTok users are particularly susceptible to these narratives.\n\nFor example, it found that 42% of those under 29 doubt that Russia is deliberately spreading false information, compared to 30% of all respondents.\n\nAround 50% of TikTok users doubt that Russia is spreading fake news. The figure stands at 59% for China.\n\nThis shows that TikTok users are significantly less suspicious and have a more favourable view of Moscow and Beijing, according to the study, which was carried out by the Allensbach Institute and surveyed 2,000 people of all ages.\n\nLooking at particular disinformation narratives appears to confirm this.\n\nSome 78% of all respondents agree that Russia is waging an illegal war of aggression against Ukraine \u2014 but this figure falls to 69.7% among under-29s. It falls further still for TikTok users: 66%.\n\nMore than a third of all TikTok users believe that Russia desires peace in Ukraine more than the West, compared to 23% of young people and 18% of the general population.\n\nWhen it comes to China, while 81% of Germans in general believe China is a dictatorship, 67% of those under 29 do. Around a third of TikTokers believe China is not a dictatorship.\n\nNearly 30% of Germans believe that China's authoritarian system is more efficient than Western democracies, according to the study, which jumps to 42% for TikTok users.\n\nPro-Russian and Chinese propaganda is considered hazardous to the German elections as it may sway voters to back parties that are critical of Western support for Ukraine and who advocate distancing themselves from the EU.\n\nFrom politics to science\n\nThe Friedrich Naumann Foundation says it is \"particularly frightening\" that many young people and TikTok users appear to have a warped view of basic scientific findings.\n\nSome 71% of those under 29 agree with the statement that vaccines have helped to save millions of lives. Among TikTok users, the number of those who agree is lower at 69%\n\n\"More than 20% of young people, or one in five, and around a quarter of all TikTok users even openly doubt this finding that has been established for decades,\" the foundation says.\n\nWhen looking at climate change, only 64% of respondents and 67% of young people believe human activity causes climate change. For TikTok users, the figure is just over half.\n\nThe coronavirus pandemic also remains a source of conspiracy theories, according to the foundation, almost five years on since it first erupted in Europe.\n\nA quarter of the total population agrees with the statement that governments or elites deliberately created the pandemic to control the population more closely. This idea seems to be particularly widespread on TikTok, with almost 44% of users agreeing.\n\nA call to strengthen traditional media\n\nThe survey shows that the public still hasn't recognised the extent and danger of disinformation in our society, according to Sabine Leutheusser-Schnarrenberger, deputy chairwoman of the Friedrich Naumann Foundation and Germany's former justice minister.\n\n\"Young people are much more susceptible to disinformation and TikTok plays a crucial role in this,\" she said. \"We must not allow Chinese and Russian disinformation to continue to spread in our midst. It is a danger to our democracy.\"\n\nLeutheusser-Schnarrenberger added that those who consume traditional media are \"significantly susceptible to disinformation\".\n\n\"This is why extremists are deliberately attacking their credibility,\" she said. \"Trust in the media has reached a low point. We must strengthen traditional media and finally teach responsible use of social media in schools.\"\n\n","htmlText":"Young Germans who use TikTok are more likely to be climate sceptics, be less critical of Russia's invasion of Ukraine, and believe that the Chinese political system is better than democracy, according to a new study.<\/p>\nThe liberal politics Friedrich Naumann Foundation, which commissioned the study, said that it shows how disinformation narratives and foreign propaganda are impacting Germany as its February elections approach.<\/p>\n\"Ahead of the federal elections, concerns about foreign disinformation are growing,\" the foundation said. \"The federal government fears that foreign states are deliberately influencing the public debate. The Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution is warning against false reports and manipulation.\"<\/p>\nIt said that young people and TikTok users are particularly susceptible to these narratives.<\/p>\nFor example, it found that 42% of those under 29 doubt that Russia is deliberately spreading false information, compared to 30% of all respondents.<\/p>\nAround 50% of TikTok users doubt that Russia is spreading fake news. The figure stands at 59% for China.<\/p>\nThis shows that TikTok users are significantly less suspicious and have a more favourable view of Moscow and Beijing, according to the study, which was carried out by the Allensbach Institute and surveyed 2,000 people of all ages.<\/p>\nLooking at particular disinformation narratives appears to confirm this.<\/p>\nSome 78% of all respondents agree that Russia is waging an illegal war of aggression against Ukraine \u2014 but this figure falls to 69.7% among under-29s. It falls further still for TikTok users: 66%.<\/p>\nMore than a third of all TikTok users believe that Russia desires peace in Ukraine more than the West, compared to 23% of young people and 18% of the general population.<\/p>\nWhen it comes to China, while 81% of Germans in general believe China is a dictatorship, 67% of those under 29 do. Around a third of TikTokers believe China is not a dictatorship.<\/p>\nNearly 30% of Germans believe that China's authoritarian system is more efficient than Western democracies, according to the study, which jumps to 42% for TikTok users.<\/p>\nPro-Russian and Chinese propaganda is considered hazardous to the German elections as it may sway voters to back parties that are critical of Western support for Ukraine and who advocate distancing themselves from the EU.<\/p>\n<div class=\"c-widget-related\" data-stories-id=\"8989512,8961726,8976446\" data-event=\"widget_related\">\n <div class=\"c-widget-related__title\">\n Related<\/b>\n <\/div>\n <ul class=\"c-widget-related__list\">\n <li class=\"c-widget-related__item\"><a class=\"c-widget-related__article\" href=https://www.euronews.com/"https:////www.euronews.com//2025//01//17//misinformation-is-the-biggest-short-term-risk-to-the-world-says-wef/">Misinformation is the biggest short-term risk to the world, says WEF<\/a><\/li><li class=\"c-widget-related__item\"><a class=\"c-widget-related__article\" href=https://www.euronews.com/"https:////www.euronews.com//2025//01//22//russias-disinformation-operations-resurface-ahead-of-german-election/">Russia/u2019s disinformation operations resurface ahead of German election<\/a><\/li><li class=\"c-widget-related__item\"><a class=\"c-widget-related__article\" href=https://www.euronews.com/"https:////www.euronews.com//2025//01//13//how-fake-news-about-the-magdeburg-attack-is-spreading-ahead-of-the-german-elections/">How fake news about the Magdeburg attack is spreading ahead of the German elections<\/a><\/li>\n <\/ul>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<h2>From politics to science<\/h2>The Friedrich Naumann Foundation says it is \"particularly frightening\" that many young people and TikTok users appear to have a warped view of basic scientific findings.<\/p>\nSome 71% of those under 29 agree with the statement that vaccines have helped to save millions of lives. Among TikTok users, the number of those who agree is lower at 69%<\/p>\n\"More than 20% of young people, or one in five, and around a quarter of all TikTok users even openly doubt this finding that has been established for decades,\" the foundation says.<\/p>\nWhen looking at climate change, only 64% of respondents and 67% of young people believe human activity causes climate change. For TikTok users, the figure is just over half.<\/p>\nThe coronavirus pandemic also remains a source of conspiracy theories, according to the foundation, almost five years on since it first erupted in Europe.<\/p>\nA quarter of the total population agrees with the statement that governments or elites deliberately created the pandemic to control the population more closely. This idea seems to be particularly widespread on TikTok, with almost 44% of users agreeing.<\/p>\n<h2>A call to strengthen traditional media<\/h2>The survey shows that the public still hasn't recognised the extent and danger of disinformation in our society, according to Sabine Leutheusser-Schnarrenberger, deputy chairwoman of the Friedrich Naumann Foundation and Germany's former justice minister.<\/p>\n\"Young people are much more susceptible to disinformation and TikTok plays a crucial role in this,\" she said. \"We must not allow Chinese and Russian disinformation to continue to spread in our midst. It is a danger to our democracy.\"<\/p>\nLeutheusser-Schnarrenberger added that those who consume traditional media are \"significantly susceptible to disinformation\".<\/p>\n\"This is why extremists are deliberately attacking their credibility,\" she said. \"Trust in the media has reached a low point. We must strengthen traditional media and finally teach responsible use of social media in schools.\"<\/p>\n","hashtag":null,"createdAt":1737537081,"updatedAt":1737615064,"publishedAt":1737614700,"firstPublishedAt":1737614700,"lastPublishedAt":1737614726,"expiresAt":0,"images":[{"url":"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/08\/99\/32\/80\/{{w}}x{{h}}_cmsv2_86a7d05f-ed39-56fb-b0bb-2d030aa30987-8993280.jpg","altText":"The study worries that foreign propaganda spread on TikTok may have an adverse effect on the German elections","caption":"The study worries that foreign propaganda spread on TikTok may have an adverse effect on the German elections","captionUrl":null,"captionCredit":"Canva","sourceUrl":null,"sourceCredit":null,"callToActionUrl":null,"callToActionText":null,"width":1920,"height":1080}],"authors":{"journalists":[{"id":2290,"urlSafeValue":"thomas-ja","title":"James Thomas","twitter":"@jwjthomas"}],"producers":[],"videoEditor":[]},"keywords":[{"id":18960,"slug":"tiktok","urlSafeValue":"tiktok","title":"TikTok","titleRaw":"TikTok"},{"id":26642,"slug":"fact-checking","urlSafeValue":"fact-checking","title":"Fact checking","titleRaw":"Fact checking"},{"id":24812,"slug":"misinformation","urlSafeValue":"misinformation","title":"misinformation","titleRaw":"misinformation"},{"id":30264,"slug":"german-election-2025","urlSafeValue":"german-election-2025","title":"German election 2025","titleRaw":"German election 2025"}],"widgets":[{"slug":"related","count":1}],"related":[],"technicalTags":[],"externalPartners":{"youtubeId":"FwAOBnNdxn4","dailymotionId":"x9cvqga"},"hasExternalVideo":0,"hasInternalOrExternalVideo":1,"video":1,"videos":[{"format":"mp4","quality":"md","type":"normal","url":"https:\/\/video.euronews.com\/mp4\/med\/EN\/EY\/SU\/25\/01\/23\/en\/250123_EYSU_57573701_57573774_116800_153805_en.mp4","editor":"","duration":116800,"filesizeBytes":14455445,"expiresAt":0},{"format":"mp4","quality":"hd","type":"normal","url":"https:\/\/video.euronews.com\/mp4\/EN\/EY\/SU\/25\/01\/23\/en\/250123_EYSU_57573701_57573774_116800_153805_en.mp4","editor":"","duration":116800,"filesizeBytes":21041813,"expiresAt":0}],"liveStream":[{"startDate":0,"endDate":0}],"scribbleLiveId":0,"scribbleLiveRibbon":0,"isLiveCoverage":0,"sourceId":1,"sources":[],"externalSource":null,"additionalSources":null,"additionalReporting":null,"freeField1":null,"freeField2":"","type":"normal","displayType":"default","program":{"id":"euro-verify","urlSafeValue":"euro-verify","title":"EuroVerify","online":1,"url":"https:\/\/www.euronews.com\/my-europe\/my-europe-series\/euro-verify"},"vertical":"my-europe","verticals":[{"id":2,"slug":"my-europe","urlSafeValue":"my-europe","title":"Europe"}],"primaryVertical":{"id":2,"slug":"my-europe","urlSafeValue":"my-europe","title":"Europe"},"themes":[{"id":"my-europe-series","urlSafeValue":"my-europe-series","title":"My Europe Series","url":"\/my-europe\/my-europe-series"}],"primaryTheme":{"id":60,"urlSafeValue":"my-europe-series","title":"Europe Series"},"advertising":0,"advertisingData":{"startDate":0,"endDate":0,"type":null,"slug":null,"title":null,"disclaimerLabelKey":null,"sponsor":null,"sponsorName":null,"sponsorUrl":null,"sponsorLogo":"","sponsorLogoReverse":"","isDfp":0},"geoLocation":{"lat":0,"lon":0},"location":1,"continent":{"id":104,"urlSafeValue":"europe","title":"Europe"},"country":{"id":125,"urlSafeValue":"germany","title":"Germany","url":"\/news\/europe\/germany"},"town":[],"contextualSignals":{"doubleVerify":{"ids":[],"slugs":[]}},"grapeshot":null,"versions":[],"programDeliverable":{"slug":"sujet","format":"default"},"showOpinionDisclaimer":0,"allViews":0,"allViewsMeta":{"pointOfView":[],"survey":[],"tweetId":0,"tweet2NdId":0,"displayOverlay":0},"storyTranslationMethod":[],"localisation":[],"path":"\/my-europe\/2025\/01\/23\/tiktok-users-in-germany-more-susceptible-to-russian-and-chinese-misinformation-says-report","lastModified":1737614726},{"id":2735226,"cid":8993314,"versionId":3,"archive":0,"housenumber":"250122_E3SU_57573797","owner":"euronews","isMagazine":0,"isBreakingNews":0,"daletEventName":"AFD MAJOR DONATION","channels":[{"id":1},{"id":2},{"id":3},{"id":4},{"id":5},{"id":10},{"id":12},{"id":14}],"status":2,"title":"AfD receives a record donation of \u20ac1.5 million: How are political parties in Germany financed? ","titleSeo":null,"titleListing1":"How are political parties in Germany financed? ","titleListing2":"How are political parties in Germany financed? ","leadin":"The far-right Alternative for Germany received its largest-ever financial donation of \u20ac1.5 million on Wednesday, bringing the question to the fore: how do parties in Germany typically fund their campaigns?","summary":"The far-right Alternative for Germany received its largest-ever financial donation of \u20ac1.5 million on Wednesday, bringing the question to the fore: how do parties in Germany typically fund their campaigns?","keySentence":"","url":"afd-receives-a-record-donation-of-15-million-how-are-political-parties-in-germany-financed","canonical":"https:\/\/www.euronews.com\/my-europe\/2025\/01\/22\/afd-receives-a-record-donation-of-15-million-how-are-political-parties-in-germany-financed","masterCms":"v2","plainText":"On Wednesday, the far-right Alternative for Germany party (AfD) received its largest-ever donation of \u20ac1.5 million as the country gears up for elections on 23 February. \n\nThe donor, Winfried St\u00f6cker, is a multimillionaire medical entrepreneur who was fined in 2021 for organising an illegal vaccination campaign in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic using a jab he developed himself. \n\nThe donation represents the most significant influx of funds the AfD has received in its history: its previous highest single-donor gift amounted to a lowly \u20ac35,000. \n\nAside from raising eyebrows, St\u00f6cker's donation is completely legal, and there is no cap on gifting funds to a party in Germany. \n\nThe cost of election campaigns in the country is relatively cheap on an international scale. Still, it has been steadily rising \u2014 parties represented in the Bundestag spent \u20ac235 million combined on election campaigns in 2021, while in 2017 the total amounted to \u20ac184 million, according to data compiled by Statista. \n\nHow can a political party in Germany fund itself? \n\nAccording to German law, parties can receive funding from the state, contributions from members, money from the salaries of elected officials, and private or corporate donations. \n\nMost parties rely on government funding for their campaigns and livelihoods. State funding accounts for over one-third of their total revenue, membership contributions are the second most important source of income, and donations from individuals and companies account for a fraction.\n\nThe amount of state funding each party receives is determined by its relevance in society. It is typically calculated according to how many votes it has won in recent elections at a European, state and federal level, as well as how much it has received in membership donations. \n\nCritics say such a system typically discriminates against smaller parties and rewards larger and well-established ones, such as the centre-right Christian Democratic Union (CDU) and the centre-left Social Democratic Party (SPD). \n\nHowever, smaller parties are still eligible for state funding, which is limited to 50% of their income. The Bundestag president sets the cap on state funding each year. In 2024, the total was set at \u20ac219 million. \n\nAre there limits to party donations? \n\nTaxpayers, party members, and corporate and individual donors provide parties with the majority of their money which doesn't come from the government. \n\nThere are no limits to how large a donation a company can receive from individuals or corporations or how much each party is allowed to spend on a campaign. This is not too common in the European Union, where 19 of its 27 member states impose a limit to how much can be donated to a political party. \n\nDespite changes in the law to improve transparency around donations, critics say that the law doesn't account for other loopholes, such as associations or a \"Verein\", which is allowed to collect donations over time and give them to political parties directly or through advertising. \n\nHowever, parties have been slammed before for using this method of gathering funds.\n\nThe AfD was previously accused of benefitting from an illegal \u20ac6 million advertising campaign between 2016 and 2018 via a shell company in Switzerland. More recently, the left-wing nationalist Sahra Wagenknecht Alliance (BSW) has come under repeated fire for allegedly accepting \u20ac1.6 million in donations from an association it founded itself. \n\nOne of the main stipulations on donations is that all gifts over \u20ac35,000 should be reported to the Bundestag and the donor's information made available online. \n\nDonations above \u20ac10,000 but under \u20ac35,000 must be published in each party's annual report; however, these are only made available to the public two years later. \n\nRules matter little, experts claim\n\nAnalysts also suggest that these rules don't prevent individuals or businesses from making more significant contributions. \n\nAccording to an investigation by public broadcaster ZDF, the CDU accepted donations of around \u20ac50,000 from various district associations from the main suspect of a smuggling ring in North Rhine Westphalia over three years. \n\nThe majority of the donations did not appear in reports as the money given was under \u20ac10,000. The regional branch of the SPD in the city of Solingen was also noted to have accepted two donations of \u20ac9,500 from someone connected to the case. \n\nNGOs and lobby groups have called for further restrictions on party donations, such as a cap on contributions and an obligation to publish donations up to \u20ac2,000. \n\nThis was debated under the so-called \"traffic light\" coalition of the SPD, the Greens, and the liberal Free Democratic Party (FDP), but according to domestic reports, the CDU ultimately blocked it. \n\nAurel Eschmann from the NGO Lobby Control told Euronews the lack of a donation cap allows \"companies and the super-rich to tilt the political landscape in their favour.\"\n\nOn the AfD's mega-donation, Eschmann said, \"We see it as a worrying development that a super-rich donor is now willing to openly support a far-right party.\" \n\n\"We urgently need a cap on party donations in Germany that closes this possibility for undemocratic influence,\" he concluded.\n\n","htmlText":"On Wednesday, the far-right Alternative for Germany party (AfD) received its largest-ever donation of \u20ac1.5 million as the country gears up for elections on 23 February. <\/p>\nThe donor, Winfried St\u00f6cker, is a multimillionaire medical entrepreneur who was fined in 2021 for organising an illegal vaccination campaign in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic using a jab he developed himself. <\/p>\nThe donation represents the most significant influx of funds the AfD has received in its history: its previous highest single-donor gift amounted to a lowly \u20ac35,000. <\/p>\nAside from raising eyebrows, St\u00f6cker's donation is completely legal, and there is no cap on gifting funds to a party in Germany. <\/p>\nThe cost of election campaigns in the country is relatively cheap on an international scale. Still, it has been steadily rising \u2014 parties represented in the Bundestag spent \u20ac235 million combined on election campaigns in 2021, while in 2017 the total amounted to \u20ac184 million, according to data compiled by Statista. <\/p>\n<h2>How can a political party in Germany fund itself?<\/h2>According to German law, parties can receive funding from the state, contributions from members, money from the salaries of elected officials, and private or corporate donations. <\/p>\nMost parties rely on government funding for their campaigns and livelihoods. State funding accounts for over one-third of their total revenue, membership contributions are the second most important source of income, and donations from individuals and companies account for a fraction.<\/p>\nThe amount of state funding each party receives is determined by its relevance in society. It is typically calculated according to how many votes it has won in recent elections at a European, state and federal level, as well as how much it has received in membership donations. <\/p>\nCritics say such a system typically discriminates against smaller parties and rewards larger and well-established ones, such as the centre-right Christian Democratic Union (CDU) and the centre-left Social Democratic Party (SPD). <\/p>\nHowever, smaller parties are still eligible for state funding, which is limited to 50% of their income. The Bundestag president sets the cap on state funding each year. In 2024, the total was set at \u20ac219 million. <\/p>\n<h2>Are there limits to party donations?<\/h2>Taxpayers, party members, and corporate and individual donors provide parties with the majority of their money which doesn't come from the government. <\/p>\nThere are no limits to how large a donation a company can receive from individuals or corporations or how much each party is allowed to spend on a campaign. This is not too common in the European Union, where 19 of its 27 member states impose a limit to how much can be donated to a political party. <\/p>\nDespite changes in the law to improve transparency around donations, critics say that the law doesn't account for other loopholes, such as associations or a \"Verein\", which is allowed to collect donations over time and give them to political parties directly or through advertising. <\/p>\nHowever, parties have been slammed before for using this method of gathering funds.<\/p>\nThe AfD was previously accused of benefitting from an illegal \u20ac6 million advertising campaign between 2016 and 2018 via a shell company in Switzerland. More recently, the left-wing nationalist Sahra Wagenknecht Alliance (BSW) has come under repeated fire for allegedly accepting \u20ac1.6 million in donations from an association it founded itself. <\/p>\n<div class=\"c-widget-related\" data-stories-id=\"8980090\" data-event=\"widget_related\">\n <div class=\"c-widget-related__title\">\n Related<\/b>\n <\/div>\n <ul class=\"c-widget-related__list\">\n <li class=\"c-widget-related__item\"><a class=\"c-widget-related__article\" href=https://www.euronews.com/"https:////www.euronews.com//my-europe//2025//01//17//germanys-scholz-under-fire-for-blocking-extra-3-billion-aid-package-for-ukraine/">Germany's Scholz under fire for blocking extra \u20ac3 billion aid package for Ukraine<\/a><\/li>\n <\/ul>\n<\/div>\n\n\nOne of the main stipulations on donations is that all gifts over \u20ac35,000 should be reported to the Bundestag and the donor's information made available online. <\/p>\nDonations above \u20ac10,000 but under \u20ac35,000 must be published in each party's annual report; however, these are only made available to the public two years later. <\/p>\n<h2>Rules matter little, experts claim<\/h2>Analysts also suggest that these rules don't prevent individuals or businesses from making more significant contributions. <\/p>\nAccording to an investigation by public broadcaster ZDF, the CDU accepted donations of around \u20ac50,000 from various district associations from the main suspect of a smuggling ring in North Rhine Westphalia over three years. <\/p>\nThe majority of the donations did not appear in reports as the money given was under \u20ac10,000. The regional branch of the SPD in the city of Solingen was also noted to have accepted two donations of \u20ac9,500 from someone connected to the case. <\/p>\nNGOs and lobby groups have called for further restrictions on party donations, such as a cap on contributions and an obligation to publish donations up to \u20ac2,000. <\/p>\nThis was debated under the so-called \"traffic light\" coalition of the SPD, the Greens, and the liberal Free Democratic Party (FDP), but according to domestic reports, the CDU ultimately blocked it. <\/p>\nAurel Eschmann from the NGO Lobby Control told Euronews the lack of a donation cap allows \"companies and the super-rich to tilt the political landscape in their favour.\"<\/p>\nOn the AfD's mega-donation, Eschmann said, \"We see it as a worrying development that a super-rich donor is now willing to openly support a far-right party.\" <\/p>\n\"We urgently need a cap on party donations in Germany that closes this possibility for undemocratic influence,\" he concluded.<\/p>\n","hashtag":null,"createdAt":1737537096,"updatedAt":1737558339,"publishedAt":1737555987,"firstPublishedAt":1737555987,"lastPublishedAt":1737558339,"expiresAt":0,"images":[{"sourceUrl":null,"sourceCredit":null,"callToActionUrl":null,"captionCredit":"AP Photo","altText":"A national flag of Germany waves in front of the Reichag building, home of the German federal parliament Bundestag, in Berlin, Germany, Monday, Jan. 3, 2022. ","callToActionText":null,"width":1024,"caption":"A national flag of Germany waves in front of the Reichag building, home of the German federal parliament Bundestag, in Berlin, Germany, Monday, Jan. 3, 2022. ","url":"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/08\/99\/33\/14\/{{w}}x{{h}}_cmsv2_223e34f1-ce4f-5ffc-942e-5e36eaf062ae-8993314.jpg","captionUrl":null,"height":576}],"authors":{"journalists":[{"urlSafeValue":"paternoster","twitter":null,"id":2940,"title":"Tamsin Paternoster"}],"producers":[],"videoEditor":[]},"keywords":[{"urlSafeValue":"german-election-2025","titleRaw":"German election 2025","id":30264,"title":"German election 2025","slug":"german-election-2025"},{"urlSafeValue":"germany","titleRaw":"Germany","id":125,"title":"Germany","slug":"germany"},{"urlSafeValue":"afd-alternative-fur-deutschland","titleRaw":"AfD Alternative f\u00fcr Deutschland","id":17832,"title":"AfD Alternative f\u00fcr Deutschland","slug":"afd-alternative-fur-deutschland"},{"urlSafeValue":"alice-weidel","titleRaw":"Alice Weidel","id":17974,"title":"Alice Weidel","slug":"alice-weidel"}],"widgets":[{"count":1,"slug":"related"}],"related":[{"id":2727784},{"id":2723804}],"technicalTags":[],"externalPartners":[],"hasExternalVideo":0,"hasInternalOrExternalVideo":0,"video":0,"videos":[],"liveStream":[{"endDate":0,"startDate":0}],"scribbleLiveId":0,"scribbleLiveRibbon":0,"isLiveCoverage":0,"sourceId":1,"sources":[],"externalSource":null,"additionalSources":null,"additionalReporting":null,"freeField1":null,"freeField2":"","type":"normal","displayType":"default","program":{"id":"europe-news","urlSafeValue":"europe-news","title":"Europe News","online":1,"url":"https:\/\/www.euronews.com\/my-europe\/europe-news\/europe-news"},"vertical":"my-europe","verticals":[{"urlSafeValue":"my-europe","id":2,"title":"Europe","slug":"my-europe"}],"primaryVertical":{"id":2,"slug":"my-europe","urlSafeValue":"my-europe","title":"Europe"},"themes":[{"urlSafeValue":"europe-news","id":"europe-news","title":"Europe News","url":"\/my-europe\/europe-news"}],"primaryTheme":{"id":56,"urlSafeValue":"europe-news","title":"Europe News"},"advertising":0,"advertisingData":{"startDate":0,"endDate":0,"type":null,"slug":null,"title":null,"disclaimerLabelKey":null,"sponsor":null,"sponsorName":null,"sponsorUrl":null,"sponsorLogo":"","sponsorLogoReverse":"","isDfp":0},"geoLocation":{"lat":0,"lon":0},"location":1,"continent":{"id":104,"urlSafeValue":"europe","title":"Europe"},"country":{"id":125,"urlSafeValue":"germany","title":"Germany","url":"\/news\/europe\/germany"},"town":[],"contextualSignals":{"doubleVerify":{"ids":["84111001","84112004","84112005","84211001","84212001"],"slugs":["law_gov_t_and_politics_legal_issues","law_gov_t_and_politics_legal_politics","law_government_and_politics","society","society_general"]}},"grapeshot":null,"versions":[],"programDeliverable":{"slug":"sujet","format":"default"},"showOpinionDisclaimer":0,"allViews":0,"allViewsMeta":{"pointOfView":[],"survey":[],"tweetId":0,"tweet2NdId":0,"displayOverlay":0},"storyTranslationMethod":[],"localisation":[],"path":"\/my-europe\/2025\/01\/22\/afd-receives-a-record-donation-of-15-million-how-are-political-parties-in-germany-financed","lastModified":1737558339},{"id":2735536,"cid":8994242,"versionId":3,"archive":0,"housenumber":"250122_E3SU_57576338","owner":"euronews","isMagazine":0,"isBreakingNews":0,"daletEventName":"KNIFE ATTACK BAVARIA","channels":[{"id":1},{"id":2},{"id":4},{"id":5},{"id":10},{"id":12},{"id":14}],"status":2,"title":"Two people killed in knife attack in Bavaria, suspect arrested","titleSeo":null,"titleListing1":"Two people killed in knife attack in Bavaria, suspect arrested","titleListing2":"Two people killed in knife attack in Bavaria, suspect arrested","leadin":"One person has been arrested in Bavarian town of Aschaffenburg over a stabbing attack that left two dead.","summary":"One person has been arrested in Bavarian town of Aschaffenburg over a stabbing attack that left two dead.","keySentence":"","url":"two-people-killed-in-knife-attack-in-germany-suspect-arrested","canonical":"https:\/\/www.euronews.com\/my-europe\/2025\/01\/22\/two-people-killed-in-knife-attack-in-germany-suspect-arrested","masterCms":"v2","plainText":"Two people, including a two-year-old boy, were killed and two others were injured in a stabbing attack in Bavaria on Wednesday, German authorities said.\n\nThe second victim who was killed was a 41-year-old man, and the suspect was a 28-year-old citizen of Afghanistan who was apprehended in the knife attack, which occurred in a park in the city centre of the southern German town of Aschaffenburg.\n\nTrain services in the town were temporarily interrupted as the suspect tried to flee from police along the tracks, German news agency dpa reported. However, the suspect was quickly detained after the incident, police wrote on the social media platform X.\n\nAuthorities announced that the public was no longer in danger after the attack and asked witnesses to come forward as well as send photos and videos of the incident as evidence. \n\nGerman Chancellor Olaf Scholz called the stabbing \"an unbelievable act of terror\". \n\n\"I am tired of seeing such acts of violence here every few weeks. By perpetrators who actually came to us to find protection here,\" he said in a statement on Wednesday.\n\n\"Misunderstood tolerance is completely inappropriate. The authorities must work as hard as possible to find out why the attacker was still in Germany,\" Scholz emphasised.\n\n\"The findings must be followed immediately - talking is not enough.\"\n\nThe governor of Bavaria condemned the attack and called it \u201ca terrible day for all of Bavaria.\u201d\n\n\u201cWe mourn the victims of a cowardly and despicable act. We mourn the loss of a small, innocent child who was fatally injured,\u201d Markus S\u00f6der wrote on X. \u201cWe mourn the loss of a helper who paid for his civil courage with his own life.\u201d\n\n\u201cThe circumstances of this inconceivable act must be fully clarified,\u201d he added. \u201cBut now is the time to pause for thought. It simply hurts. We pray for the victims and their families. We hope that all those injured recover quickly and fully.\u201d\n\nGermany is on high-security alert after a car-ramming attack in the city of Magdeburg left six people dead and dozens injured. \n\nThe suspect of the attack, a Saudi-born doctor who has lived in Germany since 2006, has been detained. \n\nAuthorities said that his motivation for the attack was unclear. However, the Magdeburg attack will not be investigated as an act of terrorism. \n\n","htmlText":"Two people, including a two-year-old boy, were killed and two others were injured in a stabbing attack in Bavaria on Wednesday, German authorities said.<\/p>\nThe second victim who was killed was a 41-year-old man, and the suspect was a 28-year-old citizen of Afghanistan who was apprehended in the knife attack, which occurred in a park in the city centre of the southern German town of Aschaffenburg.<\/p>\nTrain services in the town were temporarily interrupted as the suspect tried to flee from police along the tracks, German news agency dpa reported. However, the suspect was quickly detained after the incident, police wrote on the social media platform X.<\/p>\nAuthorities announced that the public was no longer in danger after the attack and asked witnesses to come forward as well as send photos and videos of the incident as evidence. <\/p>\nGerman Chancellor Olaf Scholz called the stabbing \"an unbelievable act of terror\". <\/p>\n\"I am tired of seeing such acts of violence here every few weeks. By perpetrators who actually came to us to find protection here,\" he said in a statement on Wednesday.<\/p>\n\"Misunderstood tolerance is completely inappropriate. The authorities must work as hard as possible to find out why the attacker was still in Germany,\" Scholz emphasised.<\/p>\n\"The findings must be followed immediately - talking is not enough.\"<\/p>\nThe governor of Bavaria condemned the attack and called it \u201ca terrible day for all of Bavaria.\u201d<\/p>\n\u201cWe mourn the victims of a cowardly and despicable act. We mourn the loss of a small, innocent child who was fatally injured,\u201d Markus S\u00f6der wrote on X. \u201cWe mourn the loss of a helper who paid for his civil courage with his own life.\u201d<\/p>\n\u201cThe circumstances of this inconceivable act must be fully clarified,\u201d he added. \u201cBut now is the time to pause for thought. It simply hurts. We pray for the victims and their families. We hope that all those injured recover quickly and fully.\u201d<\/p>\nGermany is on high-security alert after a car-ramming attack in the city of Magdeburg left six people dead and dozens injured. <\/p>\nThe suspect of the attack, a Saudi-born doctor who has lived in Germany since 2006, has been detained. <\/p>\nAuthorities said that his motivation for the attack was unclear. However, the Magdeburg attack will not be investigated as an act of terrorism. <\/p>\n","hashtag":null,"createdAt":1737551256,"updatedAt":1737564706,"publishedAt":1737552083,"firstPublishedAt":1737552083,"lastPublishedAt":1737564706,"expiresAt":0,"images":[{"sourceUrl":null,"sourceCredit":null,"callToActionUrl":null,"captionCredit":"AP Photo\/Michael Probst","altText":" A German police officer prepares to stop a bus at the border between Germany and France, in Kehl, 16 September 2024","callToActionText":null,"width":1920,"caption":" A German police officer prepares to stop a bus at the border between Germany and France, in Kehl, 16 September 2024","url":"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/08\/99\/42\/42\/{{w}}x{{h}}_cmsv2_91b4d3bb-b66c-57c3-8b9b-52879ae1ee30-8994242.jpg","captionUrl":null,"height":1080}],"authors":{"journalists":[{"urlSafeValue":"paternoster","twitter":null,"id":2940,"title":"Tamsin Paternoster"}],"producers":[],"videoEditor":[]},"keywords":[{"urlSafeValue":"germany","titleRaw":"Germany","id":125,"title":"Germany","slug":"germany"},{"urlSafeValue":"knife-attack","titleRaw":"Knife attack","id":14192,"title":"Knife attack","slug":"knife-attack"},{"urlSafeValue":"park","titleRaw":"park","id":21040,"title":"park","slug":"park"}],"widgets":[],"related":[],"technicalTags":[],"externalPartners":{"youtubeId":"d5sLhG-5P_A","dailymotionId":"x9ctt7y"},"hasExternalVideo":1,"hasInternalOrExternalVideo":1,"video":1,"videos":[{"duration":35000,"editor":"","filesizeBytes":4468575,"format":"mp4","type":"normal","url":"https:\/\/video.euronews.com\/mp4\/med\/EN\/E3\/SU\/25\/01\/22\/en\/250122_E3SU_57576338_57576367_35000_161104_en.mp4","expiresAt":0,"quality":"md"},{"duration":35000,"editor":"","filesizeBytes":6367583,"format":"mp4","type":"normal","url":"https:\/\/video.euronews.com\/mp4\/EN\/E3\/SU\/25\/01\/22\/en\/250122_E3SU_57576338_57576367_35000_161104_en.mp4","expiresAt":0,"quality":"hd"}],"liveStream":[{"endDate":0,"startDate":0}],"scribbleLiveId":0,"scribbleLiveRibbon":0,"isLiveCoverage":0,"sourceId":1,"sources":[],"externalSource":null,"additionalSources":"","additionalReporting":"","freeField1":null,"freeField2":"","type":"normal","displayType":"default","program":{"id":"europe-news","urlSafeValue":"europe-news","title":"Europe 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News"},"advertising":0,"advertisingData":{"startDate":0,"endDate":0,"type":null,"slug":null,"title":null,"disclaimerLabelKey":null,"sponsor":null,"sponsorName":null,"sponsorUrl":null,"sponsorLogo":"","sponsorLogoReverse":"","isDfp":0},"geoLocation":{"lat":0,"lon":0},"location":1,"continent":{"id":104,"urlSafeValue":"europe","title":"Europe"},"country":{"id":125,"urlSafeValue":"germany","title":"Germany","url":"\/news\/europe\/germany"},"town":[],"contextualSignals":{"doubleVerify":{"ids":["80023001","80122003","80122006","80122022","80222003","80222006","80222022","84011001","84012006","84081001","84082001","84211001","84212001"],"slugs":["a_and_e_music","aggregated_all_moderate_content","arts_and_entertainment","crime_high_and_medium_risk","crime_high_medium_and_low_risk","death_and_injury_low_risk","death_and_injury_medium_risk","health_and_fitness","health_and_fitness_general","society","society_general","violence_high_and_medium_risk","violence_high_medium_and_low_risk"]}},"grapeshot":null,"versions":[],"programDeliverable":{"slug":"sujet","format":"default"},"showOpinionDisclaimer":0,"allViews":0,"allViewsMeta":{"pointOfView":[],"survey":[],"tweetId":0,"tweet2NdId":0,"displayOverlay":0},"storyTranslationMethod":[],"localisation":[],"path":"\/my-europe\/2025\/01\/22\/two-people-killed-in-knife-attack-in-germany-suspect-arrested","lastModified":1737564706},{"id":2734288,"cid":8990514,"versionId":1,"archive":0,"housenumber":"250121_E3WB_57565476","owner":"euronews","isMagazine":0,"isBreakingNews":0,"daletEventName":"AfD Saxony-Anhalt classification (DE Team)","channels":[{"id":1},{"id":2},{"id":3},{"id":4},{"id":5},{"id":10},{"id":12},{"id":14}],"status":2,"title":"Court rules AfD Saxony can be designated as far-right extremist group","titleSeo":null,"titleListing1":"AfD Saxony now officially designated as far-right extremist group","titleListing2":"Court rules AfD Saxony can be designated as far-right extremist group.","leadin":"The party was rebuffed in an appeal to the Saxon Higher Administrative Court against its designation as a \"far-right extremist\" group by Saxony's domestic intelligence agency.","summary":"The party was rebuffed in an appeal to the Saxon Higher Administrative Court against its designation as a \"far-right extremist\" group by Saxony's domestic intelligence agency.","keySentence":"","url":"court-rules-afd-saxony-can-be-designated-as-far-right-extremist-group","canonical":"https:\/\/www.euronews.com\/my-europe\/2025\/01\/21\/court-rules-afd-saxony-can-be-designated-as-far-right-extremist-group","masterCms":"v2","plainText":"The Saxon Higher Administrative Court has rejected the AfD's appeal against being designated as far-right extremist, with the court finding the party's counter-arguments were insufficient. This means that the AfD's local party organisation in the state of Saxony can now be categorised as right-wing extremist by Saxony's Office for the Protection of the Constitution, which acts as the state's domestic intelligence agency.\n\nThe Saxon State Office for the Protection of the Constitution had previously classified the association as a \"confirmed far-right extremist organisation\" for the first time in December 2023.\n\nThe reason given was that various positions of the party were contrary to the principles of basic democratic order - including positions on migration policy, which the office saw as an attack on human dignity as defined by law.\n\nThe party then filed an urgent application with the Dresden Administrative Court, which was rejected last summer. With that application, the party wanted to prevent the Office for the Protection of the Constitution from being allowed to monitor, treat and scrutinise it. In its decision, the court once again stated that the party's positions were \"directed against the human dignity of certain groups of people.\"\n\nThe court's decision to reject the appeal is now final, meaning that, no further legal recourse is possible from AfD. The ruling comes at a time when all parliamentary parties are gearing up for the upcoming federal elections on 23 February.\n\nThe AfD has been given the same designation in a number of other German states, while it on a national level it is currently being investigated by Germany's federal domestic intelligence agency as a suspected extremist group.\n\n","htmlText":"The Saxon Higher Administrative Court has rejected the AfD's appeal against being designated as far-right extremist, with the court finding the party's counter-arguments were insufficient. This means that the AfD's local party organisation in the state of Saxony can now be categorised as right-wing extremist by Saxony's Office for the Protection of the Constitution, which acts as the state's domestic intelligence agency.<\/p>\nThe Saxon State Office for the Protection of the Constitution had previously classified the association as a \"confirmed far-right extremist organisation\" for the first time in December 2023.<\/p>\nThe reason given was that various positions of the party were contrary to the principles of basic democratic order - including positions on migration policy, which the office saw as an attack on human dignity as defined by law.<\/p>\nThe party then filed an urgent application with the Dresden Administrative Court, which was rejected last summer. With that application, the party wanted to prevent the Office for the Protection of the Constitution from being allowed to monitor, treat and scrutinise it. In its decision, the court once again stated that the party's positions were \"directed against the human dignity of certain groups of people.\"<\/p>\nThe court's decision to reject the appeal is now final, meaning that, no further legal recourse is possible from AfD. The ruling comes at a time when all parliamentary parties are gearing up for the upcoming federal elections on 23 February.<\/p>\nThe AfD has been given the same designation in a number of other German states, while it on a national level it is currently being investigated by Germany's federal domestic intelligence agency as a suspected extremist group.<\/p>\n","hashtag":null,"createdAt":1737458334,"updatedAt":1737492043,"publishedAt":1737492040,"firstPublishedAt":1737492040,"lastPublishedAt":1737492040,"expiresAt":0,"images":[{"url":"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/08\/99\/05\/18\/{{w}}x{{h}}_cmsv2_69dd8361-225f-553a-8a6c-8a62f397d94b-8990518.jpg","altText":"AfD party conference in Riesa","caption":"AfD party conference in Riesa","captionUrl":null,"captionCredit":"Sebastian Kahnert\/(c) Copyright 2025, dpa (www.dpa.de). Alle Rechte vorbehalten, dpa via AP","sourceUrl":null,"sourceCredit":null,"callToActionUrl":null,"callToActionText":null,"width":1024,"height":683}],"authors":{"journalists":[{"id":3324,"urlSafeValue":"huber","title":"Mathias Huber","twitter":null}],"producers":[],"videoEditor":[]},"keywords":[{"id":125,"slug":"germany","urlSafeValue":"germany","title":"Germany","titleRaw":"Germany"},{"id":17832,"slug":"afd-alternative-fur-deutschland","urlSafeValue":"afd-alternative-fur-deutschland","title":"AfD Alternative f\u00fcr Deutschland","titleRaw":"AfD Alternative f\u00fcr Deutschland"},{"id":30264,"slug":"german-election-2025","urlSafeValue":"german-election-2025","title":"German election 2025","titleRaw":"German election 2025"}],"widgets":[],"related":[],"technicalTags":[],"externalPartners":[],"hasExternalVideo":0,"hasInternalOrExternalVideo":0,"video":0,"videos":[],"liveStream":[{"startDate":0,"endDate":0}],"scribbleLiveId":0,"scribbleLiveRibbon":0,"isLiveCoverage":0,"sourceId":1,"sources":[],"externalSource":null,"additionalSources":null,"additionalReporting":null,"freeField1":null,"freeField2":"","type":"normal","displayType":"default","program":{"id":"europe-news","urlSafeValue":"europe-news","title":"Europe News","online":1,"url":"https:\/\/www.euronews.com\/my-europe\/europe-news\/europe-news"},"vertical":"my-europe","verticals":[{"id":2,"slug":"my-europe","urlSafeValue":"my-europe","title":"Europe"}],"primaryVertical":{"id":2,"slug":"my-europe","urlSafeValue":"my-europe","title":"Europe"},"themes":[{"id":"europe-news","urlSafeValue":"europe-news","title":"Europe News","url":"\/my-europe\/europe-news"}],"primaryTheme":{"id":56,"urlSafeValue":"europe-news","title":"Europe News"},"advertising":0,"advertisingData":{"startDate":0,"endDate":0,"type":null,"slug":null,"title":null,"disclaimerLabelKey":null,"sponsor":null,"sponsorName":null,"sponsorUrl":null,"sponsorLogo":"","sponsorLogoReverse":"","isDfp":0},"geoLocation":{"lat":0,"lon":0},"location":1,"continent":{"id":104,"urlSafeValue":"europe","title":"Europe"},"country":{"id":125,"urlSafeValue":"germany","title":"Germany","url":"\/news\/europe\/germany"},"town":[],"contextualSignals":{"doubleVerify":{"ids":["80023001","84111001","84112003","84112004","84211001","84212001"],"slugs":["aggregated_all_moderate_content","law_gov_t_and_politics_immigration","law_gov_t_and_politics_legal_issues","law_government_and_politics","society","society_general"]}},"grapeshot":null,"versions":[],"programDeliverable":{"slug":"sujet-web","format":"default"},"showOpinionDisclaimer":0,"allViews":0,"allViewsMeta":{"pointOfView":[],"survey":[],"tweetId":0,"tweet2NdId":0,"displayOverlay":0},"storyTranslationMethod":{"id":1,"slug":"deepl","isAutomatic":1,"isActive":1},"localisation":{"producerLanguage":"de","storyId":8990518,"online":1},"path":"\/my-europe\/2025\/01\/21\/court-rules-afd-saxony-can-be-designated-as-far-right-extremist-group","lastModified":1737492040},{"id":2734306,"cid":8990578,"versionId":3,"archive":0,"housenumber":"250121_BUSU_57565610","owner":"euronews","isMagazine":0,"isBreakingNews":0,"daletEventName":"Business VW","channels":[{"id":1},{"id":2},{"id":3},{"id":4},{"id":5},{"id":10},{"id":12},{"id":14}],"status":2,"title":"Volkswagen warns against Trump tariffs as new presidential term begins","titleSeo":null,"titleListing1":"Volkswagen warns against Trump tariffs as new presidential term begins","titleListing2":"Volkswagen warns against Trump tariffs as new presidential term begins","leadin":"The German carmaker is already contending with a sales slowdown, high costs, and competition from cheaper Chinese competitors.","summary":"The German carmaker is already contending with a sales slowdown, high costs, and competition from cheaper Chinese competitors.","keySentence":"","url":"volkswagen-warns-against-trump-tariffs-as-new-presidential-term-begins","canonical":"https:\/\/www.euronews.com\/business\/2025\/01\/21\/volkswagen-warns-against-trump-tariffs-as-new-presidential-term-begins","masterCms":"v2","plainText":"Volkswagen has warned against the \"harmful economic impact\" of tariffs that could be introduced by US President Donald Trump during his second term in office.\n\nThe firm highlighted particular unease over levies on goods coming from Mexico, where Volkswagen holds a major factory.\n\n\"The Volkswagen Group is concerned about the harmful economic impact that proposed tariffs by the US administration will have on American consumers and the international automotive industry,\" a VW spokesperson said in an emailed statement to Euronews.\n\nDuring his inaugural address on Monday, the new US president claimed that he would \"tariff and tax foreign countries to enrich our citizens\" - reiterating messages delivered on the campaign trail.\n\nTrump has proposed import duties of 25% on Mexico and Canada, as well as 10% on global imports and 60% on Chinese goods.\n\nTariffs on Mexico - as well as on Canada - could arrive on 1 February, according to the US President.\n\nThis is despite the fact that Canada, the US and Mexico manage to solidify a trilateral free trade deal during Trump's first term in office.\n\nThe new president believes that tariffs can be used to favour US goods and therefore grow the economy, despite experts' fears that extra levies will simply raise prices for American buyers.\n\nTrump isn't VW's only threat\n\nVolkswagen\u2019s comments come as the car manufacturer is already contending with a series of other challenges, hitting its financial margins.\n\nTough economic conditions have caused sales to slump in major markets, while the firm is being undercut by cheaper Chinese competitors.\n\nIn terms of the transition to electric vehicles, Volkswagen is also lagging behind - not helped by the German government's decision to scrap buyer subsidies.\n\nThe car giant threatened plant closures in its home country last year, although retracted the proposal in December.\n\nOperations in Mexico and the US\n\nAcross the pond, Volkswagen's Puebla factory is Mexico's largest and one of VW's biggest sites.\n\nThe factory made nearly 350,000 cars in 2023, all for export to the US.\n\nAccording to Stifel analysts cited by Reuters, 65% of the cars that Volkswagen sells in the US would no longer be competitive if duties were added to Mexican imports.\n\nTo underline the importance of its US sites, Volkswagen said it was making total investments of more than $10bn (\u20ac9.7bn) in the country.\n\nThe funding will be shared between its Chattanooga plant in Tennessee and a joint venture with EV startup Rivian.\n\nThe partnership with Rivian is intended to provide VW with cutting-edge electrical architecture and software for EVs.\n\nIn the emailed statement to Euronews, Volkswagen stated that it \"looks forward to continuing its longstanding and constructive partnership with the US administration\".\n\nA spokesperson said: \"As a global company with deep roots in the United States, we value collaboration and open dialogue.\"\n\n","htmlText":"Volkswagen has warned against the \"harmful economic impact\" of tariffs that could be introduced by US President Donald Trump during his second term in office.<\/p>\nThe firm highlighted particular unease over levies on goods coming from Mexico, where Volkswagen holds a major factory.<\/p>\n\"The Volkswagen Group is concerned about the harmful economic impact that proposed tariffs by the US administration will have on American consumers and the international automotive industry,\" a VW spokesperson said in an emailed statement to Euronews.<\/p>\nDuring his inaugural address on Monday, the new US president claimed that he would \"tariff and tax foreign countries to enrich our citizens\" - reiterating messages delivered on the campaign trail.<\/p>\n<div class=\"c-widget-related\" data-stories-id=\"8754092,8990382\" data-event=\"widget_related\">\n <div class=\"c-widget-related__title\">\n Related<\/b>\n <\/div>\n <ul class=\"c-widget-related__list\">\n <li class=\"c-widget-related__item\"><a class=\"c-widget-related__article\" href=https://www.euronews.com/"https:////www.euronews.com//business//2024//09//26//volkswagen-workers-stage-protest-as-managers-and-unions-hold-talks/">VW workers stage protest as managers and unions hold talks<\/a><\/li><li class=\"c-widget-related__item\"><a class=\"c-widget-related__article\" href=https://www.euronews.com/"https:////www.euronews.com//my-europe//2025//01//21//germanys-economic-sentiment-darkens-amid-trump-trade-risks-recession-fears/">Germany's economic sentiment darkens amid Trump trade risks, recession fears <\/a><\/li>\n <\/ul>\n<\/div>\n\n\nTrump has proposed import duties of 25% on Mexico and Canada, as well as 10% on global imports and 60% on Chinese goods.<\/p>\nTariffs on Mexico - as well as on Canada - could arrive on 1 February, according to the US President.<\/p>\nThis is despite the fact that Canada, the US and Mexico manage to solidify a trilateral free trade deal during Trump's first term in office.<\/p>\nThe new president believes that tariffs can be used to favour US goods and therefore grow the economy, despite experts' fears that extra levies will simply raise prices for American buyers.<\/p>\n<h2>Trump isn't VW's only threat<\/h2>Volkswagen\u2019s comments come as the car manufacturer is already contending with a series of other challenges, hitting its financial margins.<\/p>\nTough economic conditions have caused sales to slump in major markets, while the firm is being undercut by cheaper Chinese competitors.<\/p>\nIn terms of the transition to electric vehicles, Volkswagen is also lagging behind - not helped by the German government's decision to scrap buyer subsidies.<\/p>\nThe car giant threatened plant closures in its home country last year, although retracted the proposal in December.<\/p>\n<h2>Operations in Mexico and the US<\/h2>Across the pond, Volkswagen's Puebla factory is Mexico's largest and one of VW's biggest sites.<\/p>\nThe factory made nearly 350,000 cars in 2023, all for export to the US.<\/p>\nAccording to Stifel analysts cited by Reuters, 65% of the cars that Volkswagen sells in the US would no longer be competitive if duties were added to Mexican imports.<\/p>\n<div class=\"c-widget-related\" data-stories-id=\"8848282,8802984\" data-event=\"widget_related\">\n <div class=\"c-widget-related__title\">\n Related<\/b>\n <\/div>\n <ul class=\"c-widget-related__list\">\n <li class=\"c-widget-related__item\"><a class=\"c-widget-related__article\" href=https://www.euronews.com/"https:////www.euronews.com//business//2024//11//13//volkswagen-announces-plans-for-electric-tie-up-with-rivian/">Volkswagen announces plans for electric tie-up with Rivian<\/a><\/li><li class=\"c-widget-related__item\"><a class=\"c-widget-related__article\" href=https://www.euronews.com/"https:////www.euronews.com//business//2024//10//21//volkswagen-given-hefty-fine-for-mistreatment-of-uk-customers/">Volkswagen faces hefty fine for mistreatment of UK customers<\/a><\/li>\n <\/ul>\n<\/div>\n\n\nTo underline the importance of its US sites, Volkswagen said it was making total investments of more than $10bn (\u20ac9.7bn) in the country.<\/p>\nThe funding will be shared between its Chattanooga plant in Tennessee and a joint venture with EV startup Rivian.<\/p>\nThe partnership with Rivian is intended to provide VW with cutting-edge electrical architecture and software for EVs.<\/p>\nIn the emailed statement to Euronews, Volkswagen stated that it \"looks forward to continuing its longstanding and constructive partnership with the US administration\".<\/p>\nA spokesperson said: \"As a global company with deep roots in the United States, we value collaboration and open dialogue.\"<\/p>\n","hashtag":null,"createdAt":1737458803,"updatedAt":1737911983,"publishedAt":1737462235,"firstPublishedAt":1737462235,"lastPublishedAt":1737911983,"expiresAt":0,"images":[{"sourceUrl":null,"sourceCredit":null,"callToActionUrl":null,"captionCredit":"Moritz Frankenberg\/AP\/DPA","altText":"Raindrops collect on the windshield of a car while the logo on the roof of the Volkswagen brand tower shines behind. Wolfsburg, Germany. 9 December 2024.","callToActionText":null,"width":1024,"caption":"Raindrops collect on the windshield of a car while the logo on the roof of the Volkswagen brand tower shines behind. Wolfsburg, Germany. 9 December 2024.","url":"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/08\/99\/05\/78\/{{w}}x{{h}}_cmsv2_a792bf36-02e2-5f1d-a0a6-5ec864fcd17a-8990578.jpg","captionUrl":null,"height":683}],"authors":{"journalists":[{"urlSafeValue":"butler","twitter":"@eleanorfbutler","id":2734,"title":"Eleanor Butler"}],"producers":[],"videoEditor":[]},"keywords":[{"urlSafeValue":"volkswagen","titleRaw":"Volkswagen","id":5966,"title":"Volkswagen","slug":"volkswagen"},{"urlSafeValue":"donald-trump","titleRaw":"Donald Trump","id":11900,"title":"Donald Trump","slug":"donald-trump"},{"urlSafeValue":"tariffs","titleRaw":"tariffs","id":15432,"title":"tariffs","slug":"tariffs"},{"urlSafeValue":"germany","titleRaw":"Germany","id":125,"title":"Germany","slug":"germany"},{"urlSafeValue":"usa","titleRaw":"USA","id":447,"title":"USA","slug":"usa"},{"urlSafeValue":"car-sales","titleRaw":"Car sales","id":13382,"title":"Car sales","slug":"car-sales"}],"widgets":[{"count":2,"slug":"related"}],"related":[{"id":2732842}],"technicalTags":[],"externalPartners":[],"hasExternalVideo":0,"hasInternalOrExternalVideo":0,"video":0,"videos":[],"liveStream":[{"endDate":0,"startDate":0}],"scribbleLiveId":0,"scribbleLiveRibbon":0,"isLiveCoverage":0,"sourceId":1,"sources":[],"externalSource":null,"additionalSources":null,"additionalReporting":null,"freeField1":null,"freeField2":"","type":"normal","displayType":"default","program":{"id":"business","urlSafeValue":"business","title":"Business","online":0,"url":"https:\/\/www.euronews.com\/business\/business\/business"},"vertical":"business","verticals":[{"urlSafeValue":"business","id":11,"title":"Business","slug":"business"}],"primaryVertical":{"id":11,"slug":"business","urlSafeValue":"business","title":"Business"},"themes":[{"urlSafeValue":"business","id":"business","title":"Business","url":"\/business\/business"}],"primaryTheme":{"id":7,"urlSafeValue":"business","title":"Business"},"advertising":0,"advertisingData":{"startDate":0,"endDate":0,"type":null,"slug":null,"title":null,"disclaimerLabelKey":null,"sponsor":null,"sponsorName":null,"sponsorUrl":null,"sponsorLogo":"","sponsorLogoReverse":"","isDfp":0},"geoLocation":{"lat":0,"lon":0},"location":1,"continent":{"id":104,"urlSafeValue":"europe","title":"Europe"},"country":{"id":125,"urlSafeValue":"germany","title":"Germany","url":"\/news\/europe\/germany"},"town":[],"contextualSignals":{"doubleVerify":{"ids":["80022015","80023001","84021001","84022011","84031001","84032013","84111001","84112005"],"slugs":["aggregated_all_moderate_content","automotive","automotive_electric_vehicle","business","business_metals","law_gov_t_and_politics_legal_politics","law_government_and_politics","negative_news_financial"]}},"grapeshot":null,"versions":[],"programDeliverable":{"slug":"sujet","format":"default"},"showOpinionDisclaimer":0,"allViews":0,"allViewsMeta":{"pointOfView":[],"survey":[],"tweetId":0,"tweet2NdId":0,"displayOverlay":0},"storyTranslationMethod":[],"localisation":[],"path":"\/business\/2025\/01\/21\/volkswagen-warns-against-trump-tariffs-as-new-presidential-term-begins","lastModified":1737911983}]" data-api-url="">
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