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DW
2 days ago
- Politics
- DW
Germany defends end to funding Mediterranean migrant rescues – DW – 06/26/2025
Germany's foreign minister has defended a decision to cut sea rescue funding in the Mediterranean. The move ends support for NGOs there and has sparked warnings of a worsening humanitarian crisis. German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul on Thursday defended a decision by the conservative-led government to stop financial support for civilian sea rescue organizations operating in the Mediterranean Sea. The decision has drawn criticism from the opposition Green party, who warned it could worsen an already severe humanitarian crisis. Speaking at a news conference in Canada, Wadephul said the pulling of funding had been "the right decision to make." "Germany remains committed to humanity and always will be," Wadephul said. "But I don't believe it is the foreign office's job to use funds for this type of sea rescue," he added. Wadephul's ministry on Wednesday said no money had been earmarked for migrant rescue groups in Finance Minister Lars Klingbeil's new budget plans. The German Foreign Ministry under the previous coalition, led by Green Party minister Annalena Baerbock, had provided significant financial support to NGOs involved in rescuing migrants attempting to reach Europe from Africa. To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video That funding drew criticism from the center-right Christian Democrats of Chancellor Friedrich Merz, who took office in May promising to toughen up immigration policy. The policy also led to tensions with Italy, as many of the rescued migrants were brought ashore there. According to a ministry source, the German government gave €2 million ($2.3 million) last year to organizations including SOS Humanity, Sea Eye and SOS Mediterranee to support rescue operations for migrants in distress. Gorden Isler, chairman of the sea rescue NGO Sea-Eye, called the shift in policy a "catastrophic signal." "Now we might have to remain in port despite emergencies at sea," he said. The Greens sharply criticized the decision. "This move will predictably worsen the humanitarian crisis in the Mediterranean and cause human suffering," said Green parliamentary group leader Britta Hasselmann on Wednesday.
Local Germany
3 days ago
- Business
- Local Germany
Why Germany's nationwide rail upgrade faces a five-year delay
With endless disruption, cancellations and old infrastructure, Germany's rail system is in desperate need of a makeover. Deutsche Bahn last year launched an ambitious project to improve the network. It involves the repair and modernisation of 40 of the most important railway lines in Germany. But on Wednesday, it emerged that the "corridor refurbishment" was at least four years behind schedule. The state operator was scheduled to get the project wrapped up by 2031. But the expected completion of the project is now 2035. Deutsche Bahn revised its outlook at a recent industry event, but says it still needs to finalise the schedule. "The aim of the industry forum is to develop an adapted proposal for extending the corridor refurbishment programme until 2035," the company announced. "A further meeting of the forum is planned for July. As soon as the positions of the other transport companies and associations have been incorporated, the responsible railway subsidiary DB InfraGo intends to coordinate and approve a final concept with the federal government." Why is the refurb delayed? The initial timetable is said to have been slammed by many, especially in the freight transport sector, as too ambitious. There have also been complaints that diversions to alternative routes have not been sufficiently prepared. Advertisement The conservative Christian Democrats (CDU) and its sister party, the CSU, was also sceptical about the concept put forward by former Transport Minister Volker Wissing (a former FDP member). The coalition agreement drawn up by the new government stipulates that the strategy will be reviewed and possibly adapted. Deutsche Bahn previously said it had earmarked €16.4 billion to its infrastructure programme, with the aim of renewing about 2,000 kilometres of track and 2,000 points as well as upgrading several stations and bridges. A Deutsche Bahn ICE (Inter City Express) train departs from Freiburg Central Station towards Switzerland. Deutsche Bahn customers experience frequent delays on connections to Switzerland, and will now need to change trains at Basel on some routes as well. Photo: picture alliance/dpa | Philipp von Ditfurth What is the rail upgrade project? The aim is to gradually improve punctuality in long-distance transport, which last year was worse than at any time since the railway reform in 1994. Only 62.5 percent of long-distance trains arrived without a delay of six minutes or more. And this figure does not include cancelled trains. Experts say the main reason for unreliable trains is the dilapidated and overloaded network. Numerous construction sites slow down rail transport on a daily basis. Of a total of 41 rail corridor upgrades, only one has been completed: the overhaul of the Riedbahn between Mannheim and Frankfurt am Main. This redevelopment was supposed to show that it was possible to close an important route for several months and put it back in operation as a "high-performance line". However, Christian Böttger, railway expert and professor at the Berlin University of Applied Sciences, takes a critical view of the result of the upgrade, which was largely completed at the end of 2024. "The main goal of 'punctuality' was missed, but it has become three times as expensive," he told Spiegel . "So I don't see it as a great success story." Furthermore, one of the goals of the project was not actually delivered on schedule – the modernisation of the line with the European Train Control system (ETCS). READ ALSO: The major rail disruption in Germany to prepare for this summer Advertisement Which routes are affected? Following the Riedbahn, the Hamburg-Berlin route is next on the list. The renovation is set to take place as scheduled from August 1st this year to April 20th 2026. During much of this time, the tracks will be closed. Long-distance trains between Hamburg and Berlin will be rerouted, while trains between Hamburg and Rostock/Stralsund will be diverted via Lübeck. Some regional trains will run, while other journeys will get a bus replacement service. The first delays are expected to occur after that. For example, the Frankfurt-Heidelberg line is likely to not see an upgrade until 2030 instead of 2027. The Lübeck-Hamburg upgrade is set to be postponed by one year to 2028. And in 2028, only four lines are to be refurbished instead of nine, as previously planned. According to DB's plans, several refurbs have a new scheduled completion date including: Würzburg-Ansbach-Treuchtlingen (2029), Aachen-Cologne (2029), Forbach-Ludwigshafen (2029), Minden-Wunstorf (2034) and Weddel-Magdeburg (2032). The last and only refurbishment in 2035 would therefore be the Flensburg-Hamburg line. The lines are set to remain construction-free for at least five years following the rail upgrades.
DW
6 days ago
- Politics
- DW
Germany's Merz says Iran should negotiate with US and Israel – DW – 06/22/2025
Following the US strikes on Sunday morning, German Chancellor Merz has called for Iran to negotiate. The German military meanwile has conducted its first direct evacuation flights from Israel. Following the US attacks on nuclear facilities in Iran overnight, the German government got together its security council. Chancellor Friedrich Merz called upon Iran to negotiate a peaceful resolution to the conflict with Israel and the US. Reactions from politicians of the governing parties were mixed. "After Iran refused to accept the Europeans' offer to negotiate, the consequence of an American strike against the nuclear facilities was foreseeable," deputy parliamentary leader of the chancellor's governing center-right Christian Democrats (CDU), Jürgen Hardt, told the newspaper. This would set back the nuclear program by years, for the benefit of Israel and the entire free world, including Germany, Hardt added. The Foreign Ministers of Germany, France, and Britain had made another attempt on Friday in Geneva with their Iranian counterpart Abbas Araghchi to achieve a diplomatic solution to the conflict, ultimately without success. Foreign policy expert Rolf Mützenich, of the junior coalition partners, the center-left Social Democrats (SPD), however expressed disappointment. "The attempt to strengthen international order through cooperation, control, and treaties will be pushed back decades," he told the . To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video Mützenich recently made headlines as one of the masterminds behind the "SPD Manifest," whose approximately 100 signatories lamented increasing global militarization and demanded new diplomatic solutions to wars and conflicts. Meanwhile, the federal government evacuated more Germans from Jordan on Saturday. They used a charter flight from Israel's neighbor as Israeli airspace has been closed since the start of the war with Iran over a week ago. According to the Foreign Ministry in Berlin, 123 Germans managed to leave the country on the flight. People had to organize the journey to Jordan themselves. Over the past days, a total of 345 people had already reached Germany in this way, with charter planes landing in Frankfurt am Main. For the first time since the beginning of the conflict, the German military received permission to evacuate German citizens directly from Israel with two aircraft. According to government circles, difficult negotiations with the Israelis were necessary for this. Officially, "the flights were carried out at short notice in close coordination with Israeli authorities and were primarily for families with children and other vulnerable persons." In the night leading into Saturday, the two planes landed at Cologne/Bonn Airport with a total of 64 people on board. Federal Defense Minister Boris Pistorius (SPD) thanked the soldiers afterward: "We can rely on our Bundeswehr. After only brief advance warning, our Air Force crews were on site. They carried out their mission highly professionally." Those evacuated had previously registered on a list which helps employees of the German embassy in Israel have an overview of which Germans are actually in Israel. Not all of them, however, are determined to leave or want to leave Israel, government circles indicated, many use the list only as a safety measure and means of contact. Currently, around 4,300 people are registered in Israel on this list. A similar list for Iran suggests there are around 1,000 German nationals in the country. Before the US attacks on Iranian nuclear facilities began, the German government had withdrawn personnel from the embassy in Tehran. The staff members were relocated abroad, but the embassy continues to operate mobile operations. The Foreign Office explained that Germany followed international partners who had taken similar measures. On Friday, for example, Britain and Switzerland closed their representations in Iran. To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video Berlin does not offer flights for Germans living in Iran. The explanation was that border crossings to Turkey and Armenia remain open, even though travel through the country is difficult and dangerous. This applies even more certainly now after the US intervention in the war. For both Israel and Iran, the German government had previously rejected the idea of organizing convoys with buses. "This would mean longer journeys — and sometimes waiting times — and thus create significant road risks given the ongoing air strikes," the German government you're here: Every Tuesday, DW editors round up what is happening in German politics and society. You can sign up here for the weekly email newsletter, Berlin Briefing.
Local Sweden
14-06-2025
- Business
- Local Sweden
Inside Sweden: What do those stats about immigrants' net contribution actually mean?
The Local's editor Emma Löfgren rounds up the biggest stories of the week in our Inside Sweden newsletter. Advertisement Hej, 'Sweden long had an overly generous migration policy which led to a rapid increase in the number of immigrants. The government and the Sweden Democrats are now implementing a paradigm shift which is significantly reducing immigration to Sweden. However, to better understand the long-term consequences of the previous policy and to learn lessons for the future, more knowledge and analysis is needed.' That was the first paragraph of an opinion piece published by the Moderates, Christian Democrats and Sweden Democrats in the Aftonbladet newspaper last summer, in which they announced that the government had ordered Sweden's National Institute of Economic Research (NIER) to calculate the net effects of immigration on the economy. NIER's report was published last week, but it has mostly flown under the radar. It's perhaps no surprise that the government hasn't been wanting to shout about it from the rooftops, as it shows that not only do immigrants as a group have a positive net contribution to the Swedish economy – it's in fact greater than that of native Swedes. Let's get one thing out of the way first: NIER warns that the figures in its report should be taken with a pinch of salt – certain expenses and incomes can either not be calculated directly or the available data is not broken down on an individual level, such as healthcare or infrastructure, so many of them are based on assumptions. The figures also do not take into account other effects of immigration in the Swedish economy, such as higher productivity or effects on the labour market. And it's purely based on contribution as a financial transaction – for example if I need healthcare I'm taking money out of the state and if I pay tax it's money into the state. It doesn't take into account 'soft' contributions such as getting involved in community events or just being a nice neighbour – I think it's important not to forget about those things. Advertisement Anyway, the report found that foreign-born people as a group contributed six billion kronor to Sweden's public finances in 2022, whereas native Swedes had almost exactly the opposite figures, with a negative net contribution of six billion kronor. But what I think is almost more important than the stats, is looking at the why. For example, a major reason why native Swedes have a negative net contribution is that this group includes a large number of children, young people and pensioners, which means that it has high costs associated with children and the elderly's needs – groups that don't pay as much money into the system because they're not working. Similarly, Finns as a group have a substantial negative net contribution, because many Finns who arrived as labour migrants between 1950 and 1970 are now middle aged or older, meaning that they have high costs for pensions, healthcare and elderly care. If you break it down to 'refugees' and 'other immigrants', refugees as a group have a negative net contribution (but it's been rising in recent years). This is because refugees arrive without a job so they don't immediately start paying into the system – but if you look at refugees who've been in Sweden longer, their net contribution is positive. Indians have by far the highest net contribution to the Swedish economy – in fact enough to offset the entire negative contribution of people born in Sweden. This is because most Indians moving to Sweden already have highly-qualified jobs ready when they arrive in the country and work in highly-paid industries such as tech. Most Indians in Sweden arrived in the past decade or so, so they're at peak working age. Advertisement But all of this is a snapshot, based on figures from 2022. It doesn't take into account the lifetime Swedish pensioners spent working, or the decades newly arrived refugees will spend paying into the system as soon as they enter the labour market. If anything, looking only at the financial benefit to the Swedish state, it's obvious from the report that more barriers need to be removed for foreigners trying to get a foot through the door of the labour market, and that decision-makers need to stop implementing policies that are actively turning work permit holders away. But what it mainly tells me rather than who is financially valuable (!) and who isn't, is that these things come and go in waves. Every single one of us goes through phases of life when we pay into the system and phases when we take our fair share out of it. And the key difference is where we are in life, rather than our immigration status. Immigrants, work permit holders, native Swedes, refugees, trailing spouses, children, pensioners – we all contribute to the world around us in our own individual way. What does the word 'contribution' mean to you? I'd love to hear your thoughts. Before I move on to the rest of the top stories we've covered this week, I just want to take a moment to say that we've been overwhelmed by the response to our appeal last week for donations to help us do the journalism that matters to you. Thank you to everyone who has donated, shared the appeal, or is just here reading us. Advertisement In other news This week's episode of Sweden in Focus Extra for Membership+ subscribers features an interview with Indian lawyer Aakritee Tiwari. My latest budget tip is to swap your morning coffee for a cauliflower (not really). Anyone running the Copenhagen-Malmö Bridge Run this weekend? If not, here's what you need to know about how it will affect travel – and where you can watch. GAMES: Have you tried The Local's games for Membership+ subscribers yet? We've got a new crossword and word search puzzle out now Good news at last for work permit holders. The rule that if you want to change employer in the first two years you have to get a new permit will be scrapped next year – and the grace period for laid-off work permit holders will be extended (for some). More than 30 teachers at the IES school chain have lost their permanent contracts and either been made redundant or moved into other roles after Sweden's Schools Inspectorate criticised the group for its use of teachers without a Swedish certification. Swedish property prices saw a modest increase in May. Advertisement In many ways, Sweden grinds to a halt during the summer, as workers head out to the countryside for a well-earned rest. That's not quite true though – here are the new laws and other changes in store for June, July and August. I really enjoyed speaking with Francisca Leonardo, or Frankie, for our My Swedish Career interview this week. She shares the story of how a major health scare, just a couple of years after arriving in Sweden from Canada, sparked a radical career change: from biotechnology to running her own, unique travel brand in Stockholm. After a disappointing spring for much of the country, this weekend brings with it hotter temperatures, with the mercury potentially hitting 27 or 28C in Stockholm on Sunday. Thanks for reading, Emma Löfgren Editor, The Local Sweden Inside Sweden is our weekly newsletter for members which gives you news, analysis and, sometimes, takes you behind the scenes at The Local. It's published each Saturday and with Membership+ you can also receive it directly to your inbox.
Yahoo
05-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
How Merz plans to avoid an Oval Office pasting
No other European leader has criticised Donald Trump as fiercely as Friedrich Merz, Germany's new chancellor. On Thursday, the two will come face to face in Washington in what is the biggest test of Mr Merz's tenure so far. It means entering the gladiatorial arena of the Oval Office and enduring the impromptu press conferences now dreaded by visiting leaders the world over. Mr Trump has already ambushed Ukraine's Volodymyr Zelensky, South Africa's Cyril Ramaphosa and Jordan's King Abdullah II in front of the cameras. But Mr Merz is no pushover. 'When he comes into the room, everyone goes quiet, like when the schoolteacher comes in,' a source from his centre-Right Christian Democrats (CDU) said. 'And he can be really tough on people, to the point of being rude.' Leaders in Europe will be hoping that Mr Merz will be able to soften Mr Trump's stance on Ukraine and convince the president to drop 50 per cent tariffs on EU imports. And Mr Merz has been doing his homework before his daunting date at the White House. He has sought advice from Giorgia Meloni, Italy's prime minister who is admired by Mr Trump, and Alexander Stubb, Finland's president, who scored a diplomatic coup by playing an impromptu round of golf with the US leader. Mr Merz, a former BlackRock banking executive, will look to bond with Mr Trump, rather than directly confront him. He has been advised to let the president do most of the talking and if he must commit the sin of interrupting, to soften that with praise. But like Canada's Mark Carney, who survived his Oval Office visit unscathed, Mr Merz is not afraid of confronting the world's most powerful man. The bespectacled old school conservative rounded on Mr Trump on the night of his election victory in February. Mr Merz was incensed that JD Vance and Elon Musk had endorsed and promoted the far-Right Alternative For Germany (AfD) during the campaign. He declared the Trump administration was meddling in Germany's democracy after the AfD came second in their best ever election result. Mr Merz added that Berlin and Europe could no longer rely on the US for its security and warned that Nato could soon be 'dead'. It felt like the end of the international order created from the ruins of the Second World War. The two leaders have since spoken on the phone during which the chancellor told the president the US remained Germany's 'indispensable partner'. But the truce did not last long. Asked about the call at a conference later, Mr Merz mimicked Mr Trump's voice, to laughs from the audience, and said every second or third word the president said was 'great'. Days later, when Germany's domestic intelligence agency designated the AfD as a 'Right-wing extremist' group, Mr Vance, the Oval Office attack dog, went for the jugular. 'The West tore down the Berlin Wall together. And it has been rebuilt – not by the Soviets or the Russians, but by the German establishment,' the vice-president said. These were 'absurd accusations', replied Mr Merz. 'I did not interfere in the American election campaign,' the chancellor said before telling the US government to 'largely stay out' of German politics. The two leaders' differences over Ukraine have narrowed recently but Mr Trump has a problem with Germany. His dislike of Angela Merkel, the former chancellor, was plain and he had little to no time for Olaf Scholz, her successor. For the tariff-wielding president, Berlin has too long profited from a massive trade surplus with the US, spending the money on woolly social policies while freeloading on America's defence of Europe. To make matters worse, it is deeply committed to the EU, which the president says was set up just to 'screw' the US. Germany, a faltering exporting powerhouse, now faces the prospect of massive 50 per cent US tariffs on the EU imports. The AfD wants Germany to strike its own tariff deal with Washington, but Mr Merz has ruled out breaking ranks with the EU. 'Together, we are even bigger than the US,' he said in May. ' We are united, to a large extent anyway, and that will be my message to the American government.' CDU sources said Mr Merz was optimistic about the relationship, and that they did not need a 'reset' with the US. Mr Merz and Mr Trump share a background in the macho corporate world and are of a similar age. The chancellor has two private jets, while the president has his own Boeing 757, nicknamed Trump Force One. Mr Merz is a family man with two daughters: Constanze, a doctor, and Carola, a lawyer – more potential common ground with Mr Trump, who has five children. They also share a love of golf, although Mr Ramaphosa, the South African president, was not spared fake accusations of white farmer genocide even though he brought golf legend Ernie Els with him to Washington. And King Abdullah II won't forget being told to take in displaced Gazans under Mr Trump's 'Middle East Riviera' plan. But Mr Merz shares a populist streak with Mr Trump. Soon after taking office, Mr Trump declared a national emergency over immigration. Mr Merz did exactly the same thing. Mr Merz is also no fan of Mrs Merkel, who sidelined him from the CDU during her 16 years in power. The chancellor's vow to make Germany's army Europe's strongest may convince the president the two can do business. Günter Krings, a senior CDU MP, said: 'Given his business background, his self-confident appearance and his focus on Germany's role in the world, there is a very good chance Trump will see him as his main European counterpart in the coming years.' German political analysts said Mr Merz would show 'respect' to Mr Trump, but expect the same in return. 'I suspect that Trump will give Merz a chance. He's got a decent story to tell on promised defence spending increases,' a European diplomatic source in Washington said. 'The real risk is Vance in the Oval Office on freedom of speech – particularly the new laws in Germany banning extremism which Vance has seen as an attack on the AfD and anti-democratic.' 'The Americans know that the fight for freedom of expression and sovereignty is being waged everywhere,' an AfD source told The Telegraph. 'That's why they cannot look away when democracy is simply abolished in their most populous ally.' The AfD is now the main opposition and just a whisker behind the CDU in the polls. It will be watching on intently from Berlin as Mr Merz and Mr Trump meet in Washington, as will the world. Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more.
