Merz urges govt unity after row over top judges
"And that also shows that the political centre in our country is capable of working together, governing together and ensuring that our democracy remains stable in the middle," he said. It comes after a confirmation vote in parliament was postponed on Friday after Merz's conservatives unexpectedly withdrew support for a candidate to the country's Constitutional Court backed by the Social Democrats (SPD), the junior partner in government.
Merz, who has been in power since May, has often promised that his government would avoid the constant coalition squabbles that characterized the term in office of his predecessor, Olaf Scholz. The new chancellor is likely also to be asked about the dispute during broadcaster ARD's widely watched summer interview. — dpa
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Observer
6 days ago
- Observer
European powers plan fresh nuclear talks with Iran
BERLIN: Britain, France and Germany are planning to hold fresh talks with Iran on its nuclear programme in the coming days, a German diplomatic source said on Sunday. The European powers, known as the E3, "are in contact with Iran to schedule further talks for the coming week", the source said, following warnings from the trio that international sanctions against Iran could be reactivated if Tehran does not resume negotiations. Tehran had agreed to hold talks with the three European countries, citing an unnamed source. Consultations are ongoing regarding a date and location for the talks, the report said. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi held a call on Friday with his British, French and German counterparts and European Union foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas. "Iran must never be allowed to acquire a nuclear weapon. That is why Germany, France and the United Kingdom are continuing to work intensively in the E3 format to find a sustainable and verifiable diplomatic solution to the Iranian nuclear programme," the German source said. — AFP
Observer
18-07-2025
- Observer
Germany presses ahead with deportations to Afghanistan
BERLIN: Germany said on Friday it had deported 81 Afghan men convicted of crimes to their homeland, as Chancellor Friedrich Merz's government looks to signal a hard line on immigration. Europe's top economy was forging ahead with a "policy change", said Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt, who was also hosting several European counterparts for a migration meeting. "Deportations to Afghanistan must continue to be carried out safely in the future. There is no right of residence for serious criminals in our country", he said. The interior ministry said the plane took off on Friday morning bound for Afghanistan, adding that all the deportees were under expulsion orders and were convicted by the criminal justice system. Germany had stopped deportations to Afghanistan and closed its embassy in Kabul following the Taliban's return to power in 2021. But expulsions resumed last year, when the previous government of Social Democrat (SPD) chancellor Olaf Scholz expelled a group of 28 Afghan convicts. Berlin has had only indirect contact with the Taliban authorities through third parties, with Friday's operation executed with the help of Qatar, said the interior ministry. Following the announcement, the United Nations said no one should be sent back to Afghanistan, whatever their status. The UN human rights commissioner called for an "immediate halt to the forcible return of all Afghan refugees and asylum-seekers, particularly those at risk of persecution, arbitrary detention or torture upon their return", spokeswoman Ravina Shamdasani told reporters in Geneva. Amnesty International directly criticised the deportations, saying the situation in Afghanistan was "catastrophic" and that "extrajudicial executions, enforced disappearances and torture are commonplace". Merz defended the expulsions at a press conference, saying he was "grateful" to be able to deliver on a promise he had made when entering government. None of those deported "had a residence status anymore. All asylum applications were legally rejected without further legal recourse", he said. "This is why this deportation and this flight were possible". The deportations were among a number of "corrections" made to immigration policy by his government, including tightening border controls and limiting family reunification rights for some refugees. Merz however said policing Germany's borders was only a "temporary" fix and a durable solution was needed at the European level. To that end, Dobrindt was meeting his Austrian, Danish, Czech, French and Polish counterparts, as well as European Commissioner for Home Affairs Magnus Brunner, in southern Germany. The aim of the meeting was to "strengthen European migration policy", Dobrindt said. — AFP
Observer
18-07-2025
- Observer
EU targets Russian oil in new Ukraine war sanctions
BRUSSELS: The EU on Friday adopted a sweeping new package of sanctions on Russia over the Ukraine war, looking to pile more pressure on the Kremlin by lowering a price cap for Moscow's oil exports. The 18th round of economic measures from Europe against Russia since its 2022 attack comes as allies hope US President Donald Trump follows through on his threat to punish Moscow for stalling peace efforts. "The EU just approved one of its strongest sanctions packages against Russia to date", EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said. "The message is clear: Europe will not back down in its support for Ukraine. The EU will keep raising the pressure until Russia ends its war". Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky hailed the sanctions' adoption as "essential and timely". The new measures were approved after Slovakia dropped a weeks-long block following talks with Brussels over separate plans to phase out Russian gas imports. Kremlin-friendly Slovakian leader Robert Fico — whose country remains dependent on Russian energy — dropped his opposition after getting what he called "guarantees" from Brussels over future gas prices. France's Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot called the latest moves "unprecedented" and said that "together with the United States we will force (Russian President) Vladimir Putin into a ceasefire". "We are keeping up the pressure on Russia", said German Chancellor Friedrich Merz. But the Kremlin said it would seek to "minimise" the impact and warned the measures would backfire on the EU. As part of the new sanctions designed to sap Russia's war chest, the EU agreed to lower its price cap on Russian oil exported to third countries around the world, to 15 per cent below market value. That comes despite EU allies failing to convince Trump to go along with the plan. The cap is a G7 initiative aimed at limiting the amount of money Russia makes by exporting oil to countries such as China and India. Set at $60 a barrel by the G7 in 2022, it is designed to limit the price Moscow can sell oil around the world by banning shipping firms and insurance companies dealing with Russia to export above that amount. The EU has largely already cut off its imports of Russian oil. Under the new EU scheme — which Brussels hopes will get G7 allies like Britain and Canada on board with — the new level will start off at $47.60 and can be adjusted as oil prices change in the future. EU officials admit that the scheme will not be as effective without US involvement. In addition, officials said the EU is blacklisting over 100 more vessels in the "shadow fleet" of ageing tankers used by Russia to circumvent oil export curbs. There are also measures to stop the defunct Baltic Sea gas pipelines Nord Stream 1 and 2 from being brought back online in the future. Among other targets, sanctions will be placed on a Russian-owned oil refinery in India and two Chinese banks as the EU seeks to curb Moscow's ties with international partners. There is also an expanded transaction ban on dealings with Russian banks and more restrictions on the export of "dual-use" goods that could be used on the battlefield in Ukraine. The latest round of EU measures comes after Trump on Monday threatened to hit buyers of Russian energy with massive "secondary tariffs" if Russia doesn't halt the fighting in 50 days. The move from Trump represented a dramatic pivot from his previous effort of rapprochement with the Kremlin, as he said his patience was running out with Putin. Meanwhile, Britain on Friday slapped sanctions on the GRU Russian intelligence agency and 18 agents accused of "spreading chaos and disorder" on the orders of Russian President Vladimir Putin. "GRU spies are running a campaign to destabilise Europe, undermine Ukraine's sovereignty and threaten the safety of British citizens", Foreign Secretary David Lammy said in a statement He added: "Putin's hybrid threats and aggression will never break our resolve". The Foreign Office said the sanctions targeted three GRU units and the 18 individual intelligence officers for a "sustained campaign of malicious cyber activity over many years, including in the UK". "The GRU routinely uses cyber and information operations to sow chaos, division and disorder in Ukraine and across the world with devastating real-world consequences", it said in a statement. — AFP
