Latest news with #ChristopherStreetDay
DW
13-07-2025
- Politics
- DW
Bundestag boss wants rainbow flags out of German parliament – DW – 07/13/2025
Bundestag President Julia Klöckner has said rainbow Pride flags must be removed from deputies' offices. Bundestag President Julia Klöckner, of the conservative Christian Democrats (CDU), has been engaging in fiery debates with deputies from the opposition Left and Green parties about whether political and cultural symbols have a place in the German legislature. The Bundestag's administration, which Klöckner oversees, has ordered deputies to immediately remove rainbow flags displayed in and around their parliamentary offices. The flag represents the LGBTQ+ communities. The reason given by the Bundestag's administration is that displaying flags in parliament is "fundamentally prohibited, regardless of their symbolism." A spokesperson added that there had been reports from deputies that rainbow flags displayed in office windows were clearly visible from outside. Paragraph 4 of the Bundestag's house rules states that "posting notices, in particular posters, signs, and stickers on doors, walls, or windows in generally accessible buildings of the German Bundestag, as well as on windows and facades of these buildings visible from the outside, is not permitted." In the past, flags were generally permitted. Now, Left party member Stella Meredino reported that federal police were called in because of a rainbow flag in her Bundestag office. Klöckner, a former agriculture minister who has been the Bundestag president since late March, is a combative conservative. She holds the second-highest office in the country and is expected to chair Bundestag sessions as independently as possible — free from party interests — to ensure that debates are held in a factual and calm manner. She also represents the Bundestag at large, and thus all of the deputies within it. Klöckner has, however, been known to make provocative statements against the Greens and Left, as well as against the Social Democrats, the junior partner's in the government led by her CDU. She drew the ire of LGBTQ+ deputies and those who consider themselves allies queer communities when she opposed the rainbow flag's being flown above the Bundestag on Christopher Street Day, as pride is known in Germany. Raising the flag for CSD had become a tradition since 2022. Klöckner justified her refusal on grounds of neutrality. From now on, the flag will be raised on May 17, the International Day Against Homophobia, Biphobia and Transphobia. This is although traditionally, CSD marks the most important date of the year for the queer community. This year, CSD falls on July 26. No flag will be flying above the Bundestag. Not even a petition signed by some 220,000 people calling for a rethink changed Klöckner's mind. Critics say Klöckner fails to recognize the pressures facing queer communities at this moment. Green Party member Lamya Kaddor told DW that Klöckner shows a "bigoted understanding" of neutrality. "At a time when queer people, and thus liberal society, are increasingly targeted by attacks and hateful rhetoric, we cannot afford such a formalistic notion of neutrality. Political responsibility means protecting the freedom and dignity of all people." Chancellor Friedrich Merz, a fellow member of the CDU, has expressed support for Klöckner. On the well-known talk show aired by public broadcaster ARD, Merz said "the Bundestag is not a circus tent" where any flag could be raised at will. He said there was one day a year, May 17, when the rainbow flag would fly from the parliament building. On Wednesday, however, Merz spoke out in support of queer communities in the Bundestag. "We are doing everything we can to enable queer people to live a good and safe life in our society," Merz said. He added that "I am personally committed to ensuring that this is the case and improves." Hostility toward queer people, Merz said, is "no trivial offense and is not appropriate for cheap jokes." Like Klöckner, her deputies are all new to the job. One of them, Josephine Ortleb of the Social Democrats, recently told German weekly Zeit that she too had a rainbow flag displayed in her Bundestag office. She said "it should not seem like queer symbols are now being suppressed." Ortleb, Omid Nouripour of the Greens, and another of Klöckner's deputies will speak at this year's CSD in Berlin on July 26. Bundestag employees will also be present. Unlike last year, however, there will be no Bundestag float at the parade. This, too, has been prohibited by Klö 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 Germany
06-07-2025
- Politics
- Local Germany
Hundreds of thousands at Christopher Street Day Pride parade in Cologne
According to a spokesperson for the organisers, around 65,000 people marched through the city centre in a colourful parade with floats, which was lined with hundreds of thousands of onlookers and revellers despite intermittent rain. There had been no incidents by Sunday afternoon at the time of writing, according to both police and organisers. Everything was "peaceful and joyful," said a police spokesperson. The organisers also described it as a "super-peaceful" demonstration. The two-week Cologne Pride, which included the parade and a two-day street festival, attracted a total of around 1.1 million people, they said. Revellers arrive to take part in the Christopher Street Day (CSD) demonstration in Cologne, western Germany on July 6, 2025. (Photo by INA FASSBENDER / AFP) Last year, there were 1.4 million visitors, but the rain apparently deterred some this time. This year's demonstration was held under the motto "For Queer Rights. Many. Together. Strong." As in previous years, politicians also took part in Cologne Pride, including Labour Minister Bärbel Bas (SPD) and former Health Minister Karl Lauterbach (SPD). Advertisement Cologne Pride, dedicated to demanding equal rights for homosexual, bisexual, transgender, intersex, and queer people, is one of the largest of its kind in Germany. It is organised annually by the Cologne Pride Association. Pride dates back to the police storming of the Stonewall Inn gay bar on Christopher Street in New York on June 28, 1969. This was followed by days of violent clashes between activists and security forces.
DW
06-07-2025
- Politics
- DW
Germany updates: Thousands join Cologne's CSD parade – DW – 07/06/2025
The western German city has been preparing for this year's Pride event with some 60,000 participants expected. Meanwhile, Pride events also took place in eastern Germany, amid far-right protests. Follow DW for more. Cologne's annual Pride event, Christopher Street Day (CSD), kicked off on Sunday with hundreds of thousands of people expected to attend. The annual celebration of the LGBTQ+ community is one of the biggest in Europe and attracts people from around the a visit to NATO-member state Lithuania on Sunday, German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier assured the country of German support for its security. "With the stationing of a German brigade in Lithuania, we're giving a lasting promise: Your security is our security." Steinmeier was visiting Vilnius during its national day. The Baltic country, along with Estonia and Latvia, forms part of the NATO border with Russia. "Whoever defends Lithuania, is defending Europe and is defending European values," Steinmeier said. A German tank division is being stationed in Lithuania in 2027, including 5,000 soldiers. The number of people in monastic orders in Germany is sinking, with many convents and monasteries facing dissolution. But what happens to the buildings, traditions, and the communities they once housed? Read the full story on Germany's disappearing monasteries and convents. A report by the research services of the German parliament has expressed "substantial doubt" that strikes by Israel and the US on Iran can be legally justified. The report was produced at the request of Left Party lawmaker Ulrich Thoden. The research services said an "overwhelming number of experts in international law" consider the necessary criteria for Israel's claim of self-defense in accordance with Article 51 of the UN Charter as unfulfilled. The 54-page report said that Israel would have had to prove that Iran was directly about to build a nuclear weapon, not just that it had a sufficient amount of nuclear material. It also said Israel would need to prove Iran was planning to use a nuclear weapon against it. It did not exclude the option that Israel's secret service had further information. "Nevertheless, Israel is now obliged to legally justify its military actions against Iran," the report said. The German government did not immediately respond to the report, but Chancellor Friedrich Merz gave his outspoken support to the strikes, saying that Israel was doing the "dirty work for all of us" in Iran. To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video Following the decision of the German government to turn back migrants at the border, several individuals have launched lawsuits after their asylum applications were immediately rejected. Germany's magazine reported on Sunday that the government was facing three more lawsuits after a court in June ruled in favor of three Somali nationals who were turned back at a checkpoint on the German-Polish border. "There are currently three further court cases pending in connection with the rejection of asylum seekers," quoted a spokesman for the Interior Ministry as saying. A Berlin Administrative Court made its ruling, which was a blow to Chancellor Friedrich Merz, against the government argument that since they were coming from a safe third country — Poland — officials did not have to consider their application. The court found the immediate transfer of the Somali nationals back to Poland without an adequate review of their applications was unlawful. The government had feared that the ruling would result in a wave of lawsuits, however, this has not appeared to be the case. Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt said that Berlin would take the case to the European Court, saying he was "convinced that our actions are in line with European law." To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video Polish officials are set to begin carrying out checks on the border with Germany at midnight on Sunday, following German plans to increase spot checks on its side of the border. Germany had already been conducting spot checks on the border with Poland, but the new Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt announced in May, shortly after taking office, that the checks would be increased as a measure to tackle irregular migration. Poland said that for its side, no physical barriers would be set up, but signs would tell drivers to slow down and spot checks would be carried out with a focus on buses and cars with multiple passengers. Polish authorities will also introduce checks on the border with Lithuania. Both Poland and Germany are part of the Schengen Zone that allows cross-border travel without checks, however, countries are allowed to introduce temporary measures as "last resort" and "in exceptional situations." Germany introduced limited checks on the Polish border in October 2023, but has repeatedly renewed the temporary measures. Germany last extended its border checks until September 15, 2025 in March, citing "Serious threats to public security and order posed by continued high levels of irregular migration and migrant smuggling, and the strain on the asylum reception system." More than 1.4 million German pensioners are still working after having retired, according to a response from the Bundestag to a question from the Left Party and reported by the RND network. Almost 375,000 of those working pensioners were holding down jobs that counted as more than a small side job. The numbers provided by the Bundestag were dated to December 31, 2023. Dietmar Bartsch, from the Left Party, remarked that Germany is the biggest economy in Europe, but its pension level — the relation between the average income of workers and the average income of pensioners — is ten points lower than the EU average. "Austria, the Netherlands or Denmark are at more than 80%, we're below 50%, no wonder then that more and more old people continue working — many not because they want to, but because they must." Bartsch also called for a "major pension reform" in line with the Austrian is preparing for hundreds of thousands of people to show up for the Christopher Street Day (CSD) demonstration on Sunday at 11:30 a.m. (0930 GMT). Organizers and police are expecting around 60,000 participants. Some 90 floats are also expected to join the march. CSD traces its origins back to the Stonewall riot in New York on June 28, 1969, when people at the Stonewall LGBTQ+ bar fought back against a police raid. The incident is an important historical date for the LGBTQ+ community. The Stonewall bar was on Christopher Street, hence the name for the Cologne event. The motto for this year's CSD is "For queer rights. Many. Together. Strong." Cologne's CSD is one of the biggest Pride events in Europe and attracts people from around the world. To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video Several hundred people on Saturday celebrated the Christopher Street Day (CSD) parade to promote diversity and tolerance for the LGBTQ+ community in Falkensee, a town in the eastern German state of Brandenburg. On the same day, several dozen participants protested against Pride events. Police say both the march and the counter demonstration remained peaceful. Paris Saint-Germain have booked a spot in the Club World Cup semifinals after a tense 2-0 win over Bayern Munich — but the match was overshadowed by a gruesome injury to young German star Jamal Musiala. Desire Doue opened the scoring in the 78th minute after Joao Neves robbed Harry Kane near midfield and sparked a quick counter that ended with Doue's left-footed shot beating Manuel Neuer at the near post. PSG finished with nine men after late red cards for Willian Pacho and Lucas Hernandez, but clung on as Bayern threw everything forward. Ousmane Dembele sealed the win deep into stoppage time with a breakaway goal. Bayern had two goals ruled out for offside, including a Harry Kane header, and saw a late penalty overturned by VAR. Musiala's injury stunned both teams. In first-half stoppage time, PSG keeper Gianluigi Donnarumma collided with Musiala's left ankle while diving for a loose ball, leaving the 22-year-old's foot hanging at an unnatural angle. Donnarumma was visibly shaken as Musiala was stretchered off. PSG will face either Real Madrid or Borussia Dortmund in Wednesday's semifinal at East Rutherford, New Jersey. Saturday's quarterfinal drew 66,937 fans to Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta — the city's biggest crowd yet ahead of next year's World Cup. A father and his child have gone missing after a boating accident on the Eibsee, an Alpine lake in southern Germany, police said on Saturday. The family of four was out on a pedal boat when the six-year-old fell into the water and the father jumped in to rescue them — but neither resurfaced. Emergency responders are caring for the mother and the couple's other child, aged four. Police said the family is from Bavaria. A major rescue operation is underway with helicopters and divers searching the lake. Firefighters and emergency personnel continue to battle the forest fire in the Gohrischheide region on the border between the eastern German states of Saxony and Brandenburg. The situation on the Saxony side remains more difficult. Around 700 firefighters were deployed on Saturday afternoon, according to a statement from the Meissen district office. The situation in the Saalfelder Höhe in Thuringia has been stabilized, according to authorities. Emergency services were able to prevent the fire from spreading overnight."Our emergency services have the situation under control," the Thuringian State Chancellery, which called the forest fire "the largest of its kind" in the state in over 30 years, posted on X. The far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party leader Alice Weidel says the cente-left Social Democrats' (SPD) push to consider banning her party reminds her of "very dark times." Speaking in Berlin on Saturday, Weidel compared the idea to Adolf Hitler's crackdown on other parties and the press. The SPD's party conference last weekend called for constitutional bodies to prepare conditions to file an application to have the AfD declared unconstitutional. Any party ban would have to be decided by Germany's Constitutional Court and requested by the federal government or parliament. Calls for a ban have gained momentum after Germany's domestic intelligence service upgraded its assessment of the AfD, citing "confirmed right-wing extremist tendencies." The party is challenging this label in court. Meanwhile, AfD lawmakers passed a new code of conduct on Saturday, with co-leader Tino Chrupalla aiming to polish the party's image ahead of any future term in office. The code calls for a united and moderate front in parliament, along with rules to prevent corruption and conflicts of interest. Germany captain Giulia Gwinn will miss the rest of the Women's Euros in Switzerland due to a left knee injury, the German football federation (DFB) announced on Saturday. "Our captain sustained a medial ligament injury in her left knee yesterday in the match against Poland. She is expected to be out for several weeks.", the DFB posted on X. Gwinn had to be helped off the field in tears in the 40th minute of Germany's opening 2-0 victory over Poland on Friday in St. Gallen. She suffered an injury after making a crucial tackle on Poland's striker, Ewa Pajor. It was originally feared that she had suffered a third anterior cruciate ligament tear since 2020. Anti-German graffiti has appeared on shops and cars on the Spanish island of Mallorca, a popular holiday destination for many Germans, the German-language newspaper reported on Saturday. The perpetrators defaced dozens of German-owned shops and cars with foreign licensed plates with slogans such as "Germans out" and "Foreign buyers go to hell" in the small southern village of Santanyi. Police have confirmed the incidents to German news agency "It is frightening to feel such a wave of hatred after 34 years on the island, where I pay taxes and currently employ nine people," one man affected was quoted as saying by the newspaper. In recent years, there have been rising tensions between tourists, foreign property owners, and locals on the holiday island. Thousands have protested at regular rallies against mass tourism and a housing shortage. To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video from Bonn! We are continuing our coverage of news from Germany over the weekend. Anti-tourist graffiti was sited on the Spanish Mediterranean island of Mallorca, a beloved holidaying spot for Germans. Wildfires continued to rage in eastern Germany. Stick around for the latest on these stories and much more from DW.
DW
06-07-2025
- Sport
- DW
Germany updates: Thousands to join Cologne's CSD parade – DW – 07/06/2025
The western German city is preparing for this year's Pride event with some 60,000 participants expected. Meanwhile, Pride events also took place in eastern Germany, amid far-right protests. Follow DW for more. Cologne's annual Pride event, Christopher Street Day (CSD), is kicking off on Sunday with hundreds of thousands of people expected to attend. The annual celebration of the LGBTQ+ community is one of the biggest in Europe and attracts people from around the world. Cologne is preparing for hundreds of thousands of people to show up for the Christopher Street Day (CSD) demonstration on Sunday at 11:30 a.m. (0930 GMT). Organizers and police are expecting around 60,000 participants. Some 90 floats are also expected to join the march. CSD traces its origins back to the Stonewall riot in New York on June 28, 1969, when people at the Stonewall LGBTQ+ bar fought back against a police raid. The incident is an important historical date for the LGBTQ+ community. The Stonewall bar was on Christopher Street, hence the name for the Cologne event. The motto for this year's CSD is "For queer rights. Many. Together. Strong." Cologne's CSD is one of the biggest Pride events in Europe and attracts people from around the world. To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video Several hundred people on Saturday celebrated the Christopher Street Day (CSD) parade to promote diversity and tolerance for the LGBTQ+ community in Falkensee, a town in the eastern German state of Brandenburg. On the same day, several dozen participants protested against Pride events. Police say both the march and the counter demonstration remained peaceful. Paris Saint-Germain have booked a spot in the Club World Cup semifinals after a tense 2-0 win over Bayern Munich — but the match was overshadowed by a gruesome injury to young German star Jamal Musiala. Desire Doue opened the scoring in the 78th minute after Joao Neves robbed Harry Kane near midfield and sparked a quick counter that ended with Doue's left-footed shot beating Manuel Neuer at the near post. PSG finished with nine men after late red cards for Willian Pacho and Lucas Hernandez, but clung on as Bayern threw everything forward. Ousmane Dembele sealed the win deep into stoppage time with a breakaway goal. Bayern had two goals ruled out for offside, including a Harry Kane header, and saw a late penalty overturned by VAR. Musiala's injury stunned both teams. In first-half stoppage time, PSG keeper Gianluigi Donnarumma collided with Musiala's left ankle while diving for a loose ball, leaving the 22-year-old's foot hanging at an unnatural angle. Donnarumma was visibly shaken as Musiala was stretchered off. PSG will face either Real Madrid or Borussia Dortmund in Wednesday's semifinal at East Rutherford, New Jersey. Saturday's quarterfinal drew 66,937 fans to Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta — the city's biggest crowd yet ahead of next year's World Cup. A father and his child have gone missing after a boating accident on the Eibsee, an Alpine lake in southern Germany, police said on Saturday. The family of four was out on a pedal boat when the six-year-old fell into the water and the father jumped in to rescue them — but neither resurfaced. Emergency responders are caring for the mother and the couple's other child, aged four. Police said the family is from Bavaria. A major rescue operation is underway with helicopters and divers searching the lake. Firefighters and emergency personnel continue to battle the forest fire in the Gohrischheide region on the border between the eastern German states of Saxony and Brandenburg. The situation on the Saxony side remains more difficult. Around 700 firefighters were deployed on Saturday afternoon, according to a statement from the Meissen district office. The situation in the Saalfelder Höhe in Thuringia has been stabilized, according to authorities. Emergency services were able to prevent the fire from spreading overnight."Our emergency services have the situation under control," the Thuringian State Chancellery, which called the forest fire "the largest of its kind" in the state in over 30 years, posted on X. The far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party leader Alice Weidel says the cente-left Social Democrats' (SPD) push to consider banning her party reminds her of "very dark times." Speaking in Berlin on Saturday, Weidel compared the idea to Adolf Hitler's crackdown on other parties and the press. The SPD's party conference last weekend called for constitutional bodies to prepare conditions to file an application to have the AfD declared unconstitutional. Any party ban would have to be decided by Germany's Constitutional Court and requested by the federal government or parliament. Calls for a ban have gained momentum after Germany's domestic intelligence service upgraded its assessment of the AfD, citing "confirmed right-wing extremist tendencies." The party is challenging this label in court. Meanwhile, AfD lawmakers passed a new code of conduct on Saturday, with co-leader Tino Chrupalla aiming to polish the party's image ahead of any future term in office. The code calls for a united and moderate front in parliament, along with rules to prevent corruption and conflicts of interest. Germany captain Giulia Gwinn will miss the rest of the Women's Euros in Switzerland due to a left knee injury, the German football federation (DFB) announced on Saturday. "Our captain sustained a medial ligament injury in her left knee yesterday in the match against Poland. She is expected to be out for several weeks.", the DFB posted on X. Gwinn had to be helped off the field in tears in the 40th minute of Germany's opening 2-0 victory over Poland on Friday in St. Gallen. She suffered an injury after making a crucial tackle on Poland's striker, Ewa Pajor. It was originally feared that she had suffered a third anterior cruciate ligament tear since 2020. Anti-German graffiti has appeared on shops and cars on the Spanish island of Mallorca, a popular holiday destination for many Germans, the German-language newspaper reported on Saturday. The perpetrators defaced dozens of German-owned shops and cars with foreign licensed plates with slogans such as "Germans out" and "Foreign buyers go to hell" in the small southern village of Santanyi. Police have confirmed the incidents to German news agency "It is frightening to feel such a wave of hatred after 34 years on the island, where I pay taxes and currently employ nine people," one man affected was quoted as saying by the newspaper. In recent years, there have been rising tensions between tourists, foreign property owners, and locals on the holiday island. Thousands have protested at regular rallies against mass tourism and a housing shortage. To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video from Bonn! We are continuing our coverage of news from Germany over the weekend. Anti-tourist graffiti was sited on the Spanish Mediterranean island of Mallorca, a beloved holidaying spot for Germans. Wildfires continued to rage in eastern Germany. Stick around for the latest on these stories and much more from DW. German Education Minister Karin Prien recently suggested she could be open to introducing limits to the number of foreign-born students allowed into German classrooms. The minister is a member of the conservative Christian Democratic Union (CDU). Prien, speaking on a recent broadcast of the show Welt TV, said a Danish model limiting the number of foreign students in a given classroom could be one that might work in Germany. Without advocating one model or another, Prien — who can only make suggestions as education is a state, not a federal responsibility in Germany — said that the most important factor defining a child's chances of success was whether he or she could speak German. The education minister said she strongly believes in language proficiency tests for pre-schoolers, "because every child in this country deserves to have the same chances." Prien's oppenness to the idea of limiting foreign-born students in schools was not warmly greeted by everyone. Federal Government Commissioner for Migration, Refugees, and Integration Natalie Pawlik, for instance, said, "Germany doesn't need classroom quotas," adding that they won't solve the problems the country's education system faces. Pawlik did, however, agree with Prien that every child in Germany should be able to speak the language, whether they are foreign-born or not. She, too, advocated for intensifying language lessons at the pre-school level. Pawlik belongs to the center-left Social Democrats (SPD), which is the CDU's junior coalition partner. Gerhard Brand, federal chairman of the German Education Association (VBE), summed up his view of the matter by assessing, "Confronting a real situation with unrealistic suggestions will not help anyone." German Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt is set to host his counterparts from neighboring countries for talks on tightening European migration rules at a meeting on Germany's highest mountain on July 18. The summit on the Zugspitze — a 2,962-metre (9,718-foot) peak on the German-Austrian border — aims to give fresh momentum to a tougher European migration policy, according to the Interior Ministry. Interior ministers from France, Poland, Austria, Denmark and the Czech Republic, along with EU Commissioner for Internal Affairs and Migration Magnus Brunner, have been invited. They plan to discuss ways to combat people smuggling and improve deportations during the gathering some 100 kilometers (just over 60 miles) south-west of Munich. EU member states have long debated tightening the bloc's common asylum system, known as GEAS, due to be fully in place by 2026. Under the latest reform, countries cannot deport asylum seekers outside the EU if there is no connection to that country — a rule some states want removed. The Zugspitze is the highest point in Germany. It sits on the border between Germany and Austria, in the Bavarian Alps, and is a well-known destination for skiing, hiking and mountaineering. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz reportedly held a phone call with US President Donald Trump on Thursday, German magazine reported on Friday, citing government sources. There was little information released about the content of the conversation, but the magazine said the two leaders discussed Ukraine, including strengthening its air defenses, and trade issues. The call came after the US announced a pause in certain arms deliveries to Ukraine. For more on the latest from Ukraine, follow our live blog. One of the leaders of the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD), Tino Chrupalla, said on Thursday that his party was in talks with the left-wing, anti-immigrant populist Sahra Wagenknecht Alliance (BSW) on a federal level. Wagenknecht on Friday denied that there were any ongoing talks with the AfD, however, she said that her party was also open to possible talks. The two parties already held talks in the state of Thuringia following last year's election that saw the AfD come out as the largest party. However, due to other parties refusing to work with the far-right, the state government was eventually formed from the center-right CDU, center-left SPD and the BSW. "Exclusion and speaking bans are undemocratic and a slap in the face of these voters who will only feel more connected to the AfD," Wagenknecht said of the other parties. "The firewall politics has made the AfD even stronger and should not be continued," she added. Wagenknecht formed her eponymous party after splitting from the Left Party after years of discord between her and other parts of the party for her populist and anti-immigrant rhetoric. But the BSW failed to make it across the 5% threshold to get into the Bundestag in February's federal election by a razor-thin margin. The AfD secured the second-highest vote share with 20% of the votes. The comments from the AfD and the BSW come after Wagenknecht said her party will vote with far-right parties in the European Parliament in a no-confidence vote against European Commission president, Ursula von der Leyen. Other German parties have criticized Wagenknecht for cozying up to the far-right, with Janis Ehling from her former Left Party saying: "Whoever snuggles up with fascists betrays everything it means to be a left-winger." Police have searched 21 properties in Burgenlandkreis in the south ofSaxony-Anhalt and five more in Saxony as part of an investigation led by the Halle public prosecutor's office. Six men aged 25 to 36 have been taken into custody in the two eastern states. Officers seized about 70 kilograms (about 155 pounds) of marijuana, six kilograms of crystal meth, 3.5 kilograms of cocaine and one kilogram of ecstasy — with a street value estimated at €1.3 million ($1.5 million). They also found two high-end vehicles, several thousand euros in cash, knives, blank-firing guns and banned fireworks. Authorities suspect organized trafficking of large quantities of drugs and cannabis products. The six suspects are due to appear before a judge on Friday. A new survey of major German retailers has found a rise in theft, committed by organized gangs or by individuals who find it ever more difficult to make ends meet. But some criminologists doubt the figures. Read the full story on the reports of increasing shoplifting cases in Germany here.
DW
06-07-2025
- Sport
- DW
Germany updates: 1,000 firefighters tackle wildfires in east – DW – 07/05/2025
Two major wildfires have been burning in the eastern German states of Saxony and Thuringia. Meanwhile, several people were injured when a bus overturned in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern. Follow DW for more. Following a heat wave that brought temperatures up to 40 degrees Celsius (104 Fahrenheit) across parts of Germany, firefighters have been deployed to tackle raging fires. A total of 1,000 emergency personnel have been deployed to Gohrischheide in Saxony and the Saalfelder Höhe in Thuringia, both in eastern Germany. Firefighters on the scene estimated the extent of the affected area to reach 1,000 hectares (2,470 acres). Several hundred people on Saturday celebrated the Christopher Street Day (CSD) parade to promote diversity and tolerance for the LGBTQ+ community in Falkensee, a town in the eastern German state of Brandenburg. On the same day, several dozen participants protested against Pride events. Police say both the march and the counter demonstration remained peaceful. Paris Saint-Germain have booked a spot in the Club World Cup semifinals after a tense 2-0 win over Bayern Munich — but the match was overshadowed by a gruesome injury to young German star Jamal Musiala. Desire Doue opened the scoring in the 78th minute after Joao Neves robbed Harry Kane near midfield and sparked a quick counter that ended with Doue's left-footed shot beating Manuel Neuer at the near post. PSG finished with nine men after late red cards for Willian Pacho and Lucas Hernandez, but clung on as Bayern threw everything forward. Ousmane Dembele sealed the win deep into stoppage time with a breakaway goal. Bayern had two goals ruled out for offside, including a Harry Kane header, and saw a late penalty overturned by VAR. Musiala's injury stunned both teams. In first-half stoppage time, PSG keeper Gianluigi Donnarumma collided with Musiala's left ankle while diving for a loose ball, leaving the 22-year-old's foot hanging at an unnatural angle. Donnarumma was visibly shaken as Musiala was stretchered off. PSG will face either Real Madrid or Borussia Dortmund in Wednesday's semifinal at East Rutherford, New Jersey. Saturday's quarterfinal drew 66,937 fans to Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta — the city's biggest crowd yet ahead of next year's World Cup. A father and his child have gone missing after a boating accident on the Eibsee, an Alpine lake in southern Germany, police said on Saturday. The family of four was out on a pedal boat when the six-year-old fell into the water and the father jumped in to rescue them — but neither resurfaced. Emergency responders are caring for the mother and the couple's other child, aged four. Police said the family is from Bavaria. A major rescue operation is underway with helicopters and divers searching the lake. Firefighters and emergency personnel continue to battle the forest fire in the Gohrischheide region on the border between the eastern German states of Saxony and Brandenburg. The situation on the Saxony side remains more difficult. Around 700 firefighters were deployed on Saturday afternoon, according to a statement from the Meissen district office. The situation in the Saalfelder Höhe in Thuringia has been stabilized, according to authorities. Emergency services were able to prevent the fire from spreading overnight."Our emergency services have the situation under control," the Thuringian State Chancellery, which called the forest fire "the largest of its kind" in the state in over 30 years, posted on X. The far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party leader Alice Weidel says the cente-left Social Democrats' (SPD) push to consider banning her party reminds her of "very dark times." Speaking in Berlin on Saturday, Weidel compared the idea to Adolf Hitler's crackdown on other parties and the press. The SPD's party conference last weekend called for constitutional bodies to prepare conditions to file an application to have the AfD declared unconstitutional. Any party ban would have to be decided by Germany's Constitutional Court and requested by the federal government or parliament. Calls for a ban have gained momentum after Germany's domestic intelligence service upgraded its assessment of the AfD, citing "confirmed right-wing extremist tendencies." The party is challenging this label in court. Meanwhile, AfD lawmakers passed a new code of conduct on Saturday, with co-leader Tino Chrupalla aiming to polish the party's image ahead of any future term in office. The code calls for a united and moderate front in parliament, along with rules to prevent corruption and conflicts of interest. Germany captain Giulia Gwinn will miss the rest of the Women's Euros in Switzerland due to a left knee injury, the German football federation (DFB) announced on Saturday. "Our captain sustained a medial ligament injury in her left knee yesterday in the match against Poland. She is expected to be out for several weeks.", the DFB posted on X. Gwinn had to be helped off the field in tears in the 40th minute of Germany's opening 2-0 victory over Poland on Friday in St. Gallen. She suffered an injury after making a crucial tackle on Poland's striker, Ewa Pajor. It was originally feared that she had suffered a third anterior cruciate ligament tear since 2020. Anti-German graffiti has appeared on shops and cars on the Spanish island of Mallorca, a popular holiday destination for many Germans, the German-language newspaper reported on Saturday. The perpetrators defaced dozens of German-owned shops and cars with foreign licensed plates with slogans such as "Germans out" and "Foreign buyers go to hell" in the small southern village of Santanyi. Police have confirmed the incidents to German news agency "It is frightening to feel such a wave of hatred after 34 years on the island, where I pay taxes and currently employ nine people," one man affected was quoted as saying by the newspaper. In recent years, there have been rising tensions between tourists, foreign property owners, and locals on the holiday island. Thousands have protested at regular rallies against mass tourism and a housing shortage. To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video from Bonn! We are continuing our coverage of news from Germany over the weekend. Anti-tourist graffiti was sited on the Spanish Mediterranean island of Mallorca, a beloved holidaying spot for Germans. Wildfires continued to rage in eastern Germany. Stick around for the latest on these stories and much more from DW. German Education Minister Karin Prien recently suggested she could be open to introducing limits to the number of foreign-born students allowed into German classrooms. The minister is a member of the conservative Christian Democratic Union (CDU). Prien, speaking on a recent broadcast of the show Welt TV, said a Danish model limiting the number of foreign students in a given classroom could be one that might work in Germany. Without advocating one model or another, Prien — who can only make suggestions as education is a state, not a federal responsibility in Germany — said that the most important factor defining a child's chances of success was whether he or she could speak German. The education minister said she strongly believes in language proficiency tests for pre-schoolers, "because every child in this country deserves to have the same chances." Prien's oppenness to the idea of limiting foreign-born students in schools was not warmly greeted by everyone. Federal Government Commissioner for Migration, Refugees, and Integration Natalie Pawlik, for instance, said, "Germany doesn't need classroom quotas," adding that they won't solve the problems the country's education system faces. Pawlik did, however, agree with Prien that every child in Germany should be able to speak the language, whether they are foreign-born or not. She, too, advocated for intensifying language lessons at the pre-school level. Pawlik belongs to the center-left Social Democrats (SPD), which is the CDU's junior coalition partner. Gerhard Brand, federal chairman of the German Education Association (VBE), summed up his view of the matter by assessing, "Confronting a real situation with unrealistic suggestions will not help anyone." German Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt is set to host his counterparts from neighboring countries for talks on tightening European migration rules at a meeting on Germany's highest mountain on July 18. The summit on the Zugspitze — a 2,962-metre (9,718-foot) peak on the German-Austrian border — aims to give fresh momentum to a tougher European migration policy, according to the Interior Ministry. Interior ministers from France, Poland, Austria, Denmark and the Czech Republic, along with EU Commissioner for Internal Affairs and Migration Magnus Brunner, have been invited. They plan to discuss ways to combat people smuggling and improve deportations during the gathering some 100 kilometers (just over 60 miles) south-west of Munich. EU member states have long debated tightening the bloc's common asylum system, known as GEAS, due to be fully in place by 2026. Under the latest reform, countries cannot deport asylum seekers outside the EU if there is no connection to that country — a rule some states want removed. The Zugspitze is the highest point in Germany. It sits on the border between Germany and Austria, in the Bavarian Alps, and is a well-known destination for skiing, hiking and mountaineering. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz reportedly held a phone call with US President Donald Trump on Thursday, German magazine reported on Friday, citing government sources. There was little information released about the content of the conversation, but the magazine said the two leaders discussed Ukraine, including strengthening its air defenses, and trade issues. The call came after the US announced a pause in certain arms deliveries to Ukraine. For more on the latest from Ukraine, follow our live blog. One of the leaders of the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD), Tino Chrupalla, said on Thursday that his party was in talks with the left-wing, anti-immigrant populist Sahra Wagenknecht Alliance (BSW) on a federal level. Wagenknecht on Friday denied that there were any ongoing talks with the AfD, however, she said that her party was also open to possible talks. The two parties already held talks in the state of Thuringia following last year's election that saw the AfD come out as the largest party. However, due to other parties refusing to work with the far-right, the state government was eventually formed from the center-right CDU, center-left SPD and the BSW. "Exclusion and speaking bans are undemocratic and a slap in the face of these voters who will only feel more connected to the AfD," Wagenknecht said of the other parties. "The firewall politics has made the AfD even stronger and should not be continued," she added. Wagenknecht formed her eponymous party after splitting from the Left Party after years of discord between her and other parts of the party for her populist and anti-immigrant rhetoric. But the BSW failed to make it across the 5% threshold to get into the Bundestag in February's federal election by a razor-thin margin. The AfD secured the second-highest vote share with 20% of the votes. The comments from the AfD and the BSW come after Wagenknecht said her party will vote with far-right parties in the European Parliament in a no-confidence vote against European Commission president, Ursula von der Leyen. Other German parties have criticized Wagenknecht for cozying up to the far-right, with Janis Ehling from her former Left Party saying: "Whoever snuggles up with fascists betrays everything it means to be a left-winger." Police have searched 21 properties in Burgenlandkreis in the south ofSaxony-Anhalt and five more in Saxony as part of an investigation led by the Halle public prosecutor's office. Six men aged 25 to 36 have been taken into custody in the two eastern states. Officers seized about 70 kilograms (about 155 pounds) of marijuana, six kilograms of crystal meth, 3.5 kilograms of cocaine and one kilogram of ecstasy — with a street value estimated at €1.3 million ($1.5 million). They also found two high-end vehicles, several thousand euros in cash, knives, blank-firing guns and banned fireworks. Authorities suspect organized trafficking of large quantities of drugs and cannabis products. The six suspects are due to appear before a judge on Friday. A new survey of major German retailers has found a rise in theft, committed by organized gangs or by individuals who find it ever more difficult to make ends meet. But some criminologists doubt the figures. Read the full story on the reports of increasing shoplifting cases in Germany here. Following reports that Germany is planning to open a direct line with the Taliban to enable the deportation of Afghans living in Germany, the UN said such a move was "not appropriate." Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt said on Thursday he was open to "making agreements directly with Afghanistan to enable deportations." In response, Ravina Shamdasani, spokesperson for the UN Human Rights Office (OHCHR) said it was "not appropriate to return people to Afghanistan," while speaking to reporters in Geneva. "We have been documenting continuing human rights violations in Afghanistan," she said. Arafat Jamal, who works for the UN refugee agency (UNHCR) in Kabul, said a "non-return advisory" was still in place for Afghanistan. "In other words... the conditions on the ground are not yet ready for returns," he said. "We urge countries not to forcibly return to Afghanistan." Germany stopped deportations to Afghanistan in 2021 when the Taliban retook control of the country. However, amid a rise of the far-right and anti-immigrant rhetoric, the government led by the conservative bloc of Chancellor Friedrich Merz has put deportations high on the agenda. 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