Immigration

Merkel pledges over 1/4 of UN Syria aid target

Angela Merkel has pledged €2.3 billion in German aid to victims of the Syrian civil war at a donor conference in London, broadcaster N-tv reports - more than a quarter of the total UN target.

conference

Germany's opposition 'in Merkel's shadow'

Germany's Social Democrats are struggling at a party congress this week to emerge from Angela Merkel's shadow, where they've languished for a decade and been unable to exploit her current weakness in the polls.

illness

Merkel draws battle lines for 2017 election

UPDATE: Chancellor Merkel used her speech at the Christian Democratic Union (CDU) conference to set out her stall for the 2017 election battle, with particularly harsh words for junior coalition partners the Social Democratic Party (SPD).

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Liberals give fighting talk at party conference

The leader of the ailing junior coalition partners the business-friendly Free Democrats (FDP) put on a brave show at the party conference on Saturday, putting his group forward as Germany’s only real freedom fighters.

afghanistan

Karzai slams Pakistan for boycotting Bonn talks

Afghan President Hamid Karzai has accused Pakistan of undermining negotiations with the ban by boycotting an international conference on Afghanistan starting Monday in Bonn.

conference

New SPD leaders flag fresh tax approach

The centre-left Social Democrats will rebuild their shattered reputation as a <i>Volkspartei</i> – or “people’s party” – new chairman Sigmar Gabriel announced Sunday, wrapping up the party's conference with a clear signal that there is a new generation in charge.

conference

Gabriel urges SPD to avoid lurch to the left

The centre-left Social Democrats’ new chairman Sigmar Gabriel on Friday night called on his party to resist the urge to swing to the left despite its recent historic election loss, and instead to recapture the political centre.