Political news, decisions and debates from Germany, Europe and the world, reported with clear source attribution.
A Spanish judge has ordered Begoña Gómez, the wife of Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez, to stand trial on corruption allegations. Her passport has been confiscated and she is banned from leaving the country without judicial permission.
Bremen CDU has elected its parliamentary group leader Wiebke Winter as its top candidate for the state election next spring, with around 92 percent of the vote. The 30-year-old would become the first woman to lead the city-state if she wins.
The Left party has chosen a new leadership duo at its party congress in Potsdam: Luigi Pantisano and Ines Schwerdtner. Pantisano received a weak result of just over 53 percent, while Schwerdtner was confirmed in office with nearly 86 percent.
Green Party co-leader Felix Banaszak has sharply attacked Friedrich Merz (CDU) at a state party conference in Troisdorf, accusing him of lying to the public.
Polish Karol Nawrocki has revoked the Order of the White Eagle awarded to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, escalating a dispute over the naming of a Ukrainian military unit after the Ukrainian Insurgent Army (UPA).
The Left party has a new co-chair: Luigi Pantisano succeeds Jan van Aken. The 46-year-old received only 53.3 percent of delegate votes, while co-chair Ines Schwerdtner was confirmed in office with 85.7 percent.
Environmental policy expert Töller, a member of the German Advisory Council on the Environment, has called for environmental laws to be drafted more clearly and practically.
Labour peer Charlie Falconer has publicly denied Keir Starmer any authority, saying the prime minister has 'at most weeks to go' in office, the Guardian reports.
The Green Party in Schleswig-Holstein has officially nominated Aminata Touré as its lead candidate for the 2027 state election. The social affairs minister received broad support at the party congress in Neumünster.
Luigi Pantisano, the designated co-chair of the Left Party, has accused the CDU of pursuing fascist policies and sees no difference between the CDU and the AfD. Bild newspaper reports, citing an interview.
At the federal party congress of the Left Party in Potsdam, a continuation of the controversies over Middle East policy and the board election is expected on the second day. According to Spiegel, the opening evening had already deeply divided the party.
French Emmanuel Macron and German Friedrich Merz have sharply criticized the Union's attempts to establish direct contacts with Kremlin chief Vladimir Putin, according to Politico. The move deepens divisions within the bloc.
German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul (CDU) has described the Baltic Sea as an increasingly conflict-ridden area at a security conference. Russia views the Baltic region strategically, he said at the opening of the Kiel Security Conference.
Jens Spahn, former German health minister, has taken part in secret meetings of Peter Thiel's dialogue network. However, he has canceled his attendance at the next meeting in Dublin in August 2024, according to multiple media reports.
The leaders of Britain, France and Germany, together with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, have reaffirmed their support for Ukraine. The meeting took place on June 7.
Luigi Pantisano, a member of the Bundestag for Linke, has announced his candidacy for party chair. The 46-year-old son of Italian guest workers and trained architect aims to succeed Jan van Aken, who is stepping down for health reasons.
According to the latest ZDF Politbarometer, nearly two-thirds of Germans do not believe the federal government will present its reform package by summer. Only 31 percent of respondents expect it to be submitted on time.
EU Council President António Costa called Moscow to speak with Vladimir Putin. This unilateral move is seen as an affront in Brussels.
Berlin's governing mayor Kai Wegner (CDU) wants to ride in his own float at the Christopher Street Day (CSD) on July 25 for the first time – and has earmarked 140,000 euros in taxpayer money. Organizers of the CSD are surprised by the amount, as reported by FAZ.
Germany's pension commission has finalized its report and agreed on 30 reform proposals, though some individual points saw dissent or abstentions.
The costs of emergency services continue to cause disputes in Brandenburg. The state government has rejected two opposition motions.
Federal Health Minister Karl Lauterbach (SPD) plans to remove homeopathy as a statutory health insurance benefit. Resistance from doctors and politicians is mounting.
CDU General Secretary Carsten Linnemann has rejected a draft from the Federal Ministry of Labour to reform the Working Hours Act. The proposal deviates from the flexibilization agreed in the coalition agreement, as reported by ZEIT.
The scientific services of the Bundestag have raised constitutional concerns about the planned new heating law of the black-red coalition, according to a report first published by Spiegel.
At the NATO defense ministers' meeting in Brussels, US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth called on Europeans to take over the bulk of Ukraine aid. He considers a NATO membership for Ukraine unrealistic.
Green Party parliamentary group leader Katharina Dröge has accused CSU politician Alexander Dobrindt of disregarding the judiciary with his border policy. The accusation follows another ruling by the Berlin Administrative Court, which declared the rejection of asylum seekers at German borders unlawful.
A dispute has erupted within Germany's black-red coalition over the level of basic income. CSU Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt is calling for lower standard rates, while the SPD defends the current amount of 563 euros for single people.
Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul (CDU) is considering cuts to German payments to the United Nations to emphasize Germany's interests, while also calling for more funds for humanitarian aid.
US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth is traveling to a NATO meeting in Brussels and demanding that alliance partners increase their defense spending to five percent of economic output. According to Spiegel, Hegseth wants to push Europeans toward greater self-reliance.
The CDU in Wiesbaden has reached an agreement with the Greens, Volt, the FDP, and Pro Auto on an exploratory paper. The proposed coalition excludes the SPD, as reported by the FAZ.
Schleswig-Holstein's Minister Daniel Günther (CDU) has rejected a public apology in the Northvolt case but admitted errors in information policy, NDR reports.
Health Minister Nina Warken (CDU) plans to abolish the income threshold for parental maintenance. In the future, children earning less than 100,000 euros per year would also have to cover their parents' care costs.
At the G7 summit in Évian, the heads of state and government criticized China's overcapacities and announced plans to reduce dependencies. US Donald Trump threatened Iran with new attacks, as reported by Handelsblatt.
The AfD has failed to secure a seat on the SWR broadcasting council in the election by the Rhineland-Palatinate state parliament. According to WELT, the party received none of the available posts.
Friedrich Merz anticipates good proposals from the expert commission on pension reform. The black-red coalition has set itself domestic policy reforms, as reported by FAZ.
Germany's interior ministers from federal and state levels gathered in Hamburg on Wednesday for their spring conference. According to the Abendzeitung München, the agenda includes higher fines for traffic violations, measures against violence in football, and protection from right-wing violence.
The European Parliament on Thursday approved stricter asylum and deportation rules, including the establishment of return centers in third countries. 418 MEPs voted in favor of the legislative changes in Strasbourg.
UK Keir Starmer wants to offer Andy Burnham a senior government position to head off an internal leadership debate, he said on the sidelines of the G7 summit, according to a Guardian report.
The Bavarian Administrative Court has ruled that the state's intelligence agency may continue to monitor the AfD party, citing its unconstitutional positions on remigration.
Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania's Minister Manuela Schwesig (SPD) has sharply criticized the federal government's planned nursing care reforms, calling them 'inhumane.' She announced she would not agree to the proposals by Nina Warken (CDU).