Thursday's top story: Merz's coalition faces tough challenges and lack of public trust
Federal Chancellor Friedrich Merz is facing intense pressure seven months into his term, amid poor poll ratings and internal disputes over pension reforms.
Speaking in the Bundestag on Wednesday, he called for a "new consensus between generations" on pensions, pledging to maintain and expedite social reforms despite acknowledging the complexity of the issues and high public expectations.
Merz emphasised the coalition's achievements so far, including energy cost reductions, tax relief for businesses, deregulation, and digital progress.
However, pension reforms remain contentious, with young conservative MPs opposing some measures, risking the coalition's majority.
Other issues that leaders of CDU, CSU and SPD parties hope to address in committee meetings on Thursday include Merz's challenge of the combustion engine car phase-out by 2035, the heating law and an austerity package for health insurance contributions.
Meanwhile, public trust in the current government seems to be stretching thin.
A survey by the Insa Institute conducted for the Bild newspaper found that a majority of voters, 54 percent, don't think that the black-red government will last until the end of the current legislative period in 2029.
Just 29 percent of those polls had a positive outlook for the survival of the current government, with Union party voters in particular showing the most support.
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Deutsche Bahn to pause construction work over Christmas
Deutsche Bahn is pausing some construction work on its rail network over Christmas to better manage the anticipated surge in travellers.
CEO Evelyn Palla announced the suspension of selected construction sites during the holidays and confirmed that more trains will be in service to meet demand.
Despite these efforts, punctuality is expected to continue its decline, with long-distance train on-time rates forecasted to fall below 60 percent this year, a slight drop from 51 percent in October.
READ ALSO: Deutsche Bahn's long-distance travel changes for the winter
The company anticipates no significant improvement in 2026, as construction sites are set to increase from approximately 26,000 to 28,000. A noticeable recovery in punctuality is not expected until 2027.
Deutsche Bahn is preparing for a record Christmas travel season, with ticket sales up six percent from last year and over five million passengers expected around the holidays.
Ban on cannabis use in Munich's English Garden overturned
The Bavarian Administrative Court has overturned the ban on cannabis use in Munich's Englischer Garten, ruling that the general prohibition in the park and the adjacent Hofgarten and Finanzgarten is invalid.
The court sided with two men who challenged the ban. The prohibition, imposed by the Bavarian Palace Administration following partial federal legalisation of cannabis, was deemed unjustified due to insufficient evidence of danger or significant nuisance.
While the decision does not yet have final legal effect – Bavaria may appeal – it marks a significant setback for the state’s strict cannabis policies. Only a few violations were recorded during the ban, and the court noted it must be backed by a clear risk to others, which was not demonstrated.
The ruling allows for cannabis use in these parks as long as federal laws are observed, spurring debates on drug policy and local regulation in Bavaria.
READ ALSO: Bavaria approves first three cannabis clubs after German legalisation
Germany mustn't forget Nazi 'crime' in Guernica, says president
President Frank-Walter Steinmeier on Wednesday said Germany must not forget the "crime" of Guernica, days before becoming the first German head of state to visit the Spanish town devastated by Nazi bombers in 1937.
The Condor Legion killed hundreds when it bombed the northern Basque town on April 26th, 1937 in support of General Francisco Franco's rebels during the Spanish Civil War (1936-1939) alongside Fascist Italy.
Addressing a gala dinner hosted by King Felipe VI and Queen Letizia at Madrid's Royal Palace on day one of a three-day state visit, Steinmeier said Germans "brought a heavy burden of guilt upon themselves" in Guernica.
It was "very important to me" that Germans "do not forget what happened back then. This crime was committed by Germans," he said.
Steinmeier is due to travel to Guernica with Felipe on Friday and pay tribute to the victims of the raid.
The visit comes almost 30 years after former German president Roman Herzog recognised his country's "involvement" and called for "reconciliation".
Steinmeier had earlier viewed Pablo Picasso's anti-war masterpiece "Guernica" at Madrid's Reina Sofia art museum, a work famed for capturing the suffering of innocent civilians.
Otto the Great to get new gold and titanium coffin
The wooden coffin of Emperor Otto the Great in Magdeburg Cathedral is set to be replaced with a new sarcophagus made from titanium and gold, designed by competition winner Silke Trekel.
Experts discovered extensive damage to the original coffin during conservation efforts that began earlier this year, prompting the removal of the coffin’s lid to preserve the remains and associated artifacts.
Otto the Great was a pivotal figure in European history, reigning as King of East Francia (Germany) from 936 and Holy Roman Emperor from 962 until his death in 973. His coronation as emperor by Pope John XII in 962 marked the foundation of the Holy Roman Empire.
Work on the new coffin, aimed at reflecting Otto’s imperial stature and historical importance, will begin soon, with the emperor's remains remaining in Magdeburg throughout.
With reporting by DPA, AFP and Paul Krantz.
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