NEWS FROM BERLIN

Schönefeld votes for asylum center at BER airport

The municipality of Schönefeld has cleared the way for an entry and exit center for refugees at BER Airport. According to a spokesperson, most of the municipality has approved a development plan that provides such a facility. According to the Ministry of the Interior, this means that the formal requirements have been met. According to current plans, the center is set to open in 2028. According to the Federal Ministry of the Interior, the federal government wants to rent office space there. The center at BER is highly controversial. Refugee organizations speak of a deportation center and see human dignity at risk. Source: berliner Zeitung

Berlin is growing faster than expected

A new internal report suggests that the population of Berlin is growing faster than expected, with the total number of residents projected to surpass four million as early as 2036. Despite growth in recent decades, the city still has fewer inhabitants than it did 100 years ago. The largest population ever recorded in Berlin was around 4.4 million, just before or during the Second World War. However, Berliners are not having children. The city has the lowest birth rate in Germany. It is thanks to immigration, then, that growth is expected to continue, with 109,000 new residents projected to arrive by 2040. Source: the Berliner

Weapons banned in public transport in Berlin

Since 17 July, Berlin has established stricter regulations concerning the carrying of knives and other
weapons in public. The new rules are intended to curb a rise in violent crime, granting yet the police additional powers to conduct searches without specific grounds for suspicion. From Thursday on, knives – regardless of blade length – will be prohibited on all forms of public transport. There are exceptions, however, for people who work in restaurants or snack bars at train stations, for instance. Since it is a blanket ban, there will be no signs indicating designated prohibited zones. Besides, knives, firearms are also banned, as well as irritant sprays such as tear gas. Source: the Berliner

NEWS FROM GERMANY

Brandenburg now requires a commitment to Israel for naturalization

Since 1 June, anyone wishing to become a naturalized citizen in Brandenburg must acknowledge Israel’s right to exist. In addition, the state requires a clear commitment to the Fundamental Law (“Grundgesetz”), acknoweldgment of the Nazi past and the ability to independently secure a livelihood. Interior Minister René Wilke (non-party) said in the state parliament in Potsdam that he had made a corresponding change to the naturalization procedure in consultation with Minister President Dietmar Woidke (SPD). The new regulation has been in force since the beginning of June. Saxony-Anhalt was the first federal state to link naturalization to a commitment to Israel’s right to exist in 2023. Source: welt

Use of “Payment Card” could be expanded in Hamburg

Over a year ago, Hamburg was the first federal state to introduce payment cards for asylum seekers. Such cards can be used by refugees like a credit card: 50 euros cash can be withdrawn per month, 10 euros for minors. The cards can be used in the supermarket or at the hairdresser, for example – but not abroad, in online shops, for money transfers or gambling. The Hamburg tax authorities are now working on extending the use of the payment card to other areas where social benefits are still paid out in cash. The Left Party criticized the payment card as an instrument of control for welfare recipients. Source: ndr

More complaints about the post office than ever before

Complaints about the postal service and its competitors have reached a new high. As the Federal Network Agency announced on request, it received 22,981 complaints about postal services in the first half of the year, 13% more than in the same period last year. If the current pace of complaints continues, the previous annual high of 44,406 from 2024 could be broken this year. Almost 90% of the complaints were directed against the market leader Deutsche Post/DHL, and they are related to delays, incorrect deliveries or damaged consignments, whether letters or parcels. Source: tagesschau

Immigrants in Europe and North America earn 18% less

As many countries grapple with ageing populations, falling birthrates, labour shortages and fiscal pressures, the ability to successfully integrate immigrants is becoming an increasingly pressing matter. However, a new study from Nature, a British scientific journal, found out that salaries of immigrants in Europe and North America are nearly 18% lower than those of born in the country, as foreign-born workers struggle to accesshigher-paying jobs. They analyzed the salaries of 13.5 million people in nine immigrant-receiving countries. Among the results, it is shown that the children of immigrants faced substantially better earning prospects than their parents. Source: the conversation

A large sum for a big goal

Back to the top of the global economy: this is the common goal of the German government and corporations in Germany. To achieve it, an investment summit was held on 21 July in the Federal Chancellery. Visibly satisfied and optimistic, the heads of Siemens and Deutsche Bank lined up to the left and right of Chancellor Friedrich Merz (CDU) for a press statement after the meeting. The “Made for Germany” alliance wants to help shape this upturn. Merz declared: “Germany is back.” But not everyone sees it that way. There was a lot of criticism of the fact that small and medium businesses were hardly represented or not represented at all. Source: tagesschau

“Scheisse AfD!“: Alice Weidel’s summer interview

As Alice Weidel (AfD) started her “summer interview” with presenter Markus, they could hardly
hear a word of each other. Nearby, speakers had been set up by the activist group “Zentrum für Politische Schönheit”(Centre for Political Beauty), and they drowned out the interview with the lilting sound of a choir. It sounded like a Christmas carol, but with the words “Scheisse AfD” (literally “Shitty AfD”) being sung. Berlin police have initiated proceedings for disruption against the activist group, who had not registered the protest in advance. The Centre for Political Beauty were not the only protesters; they were joined by “Omas Gegen Rechts” (Grandmas Against the Right). Source: the Berliner

NEWS FROM BERLIN

Mohrenstraße can be renamed

The Mohrenstraße in Berlin-Mitte may be renamed after years of legal dispute, announced the Berlin-Brandenburg Higher Administrative Court. The street can now be called Anton-Wilhelm-Amo-Straße. Born around 1703 in what is now Ghana in West Africa, Amo was abducted to Germany as a child, where he became the first known philosopher in the country. An application for an appeal was rejected, meaning that the ruling is legally binding. The Berliner Verkehrsbetriebe (BVG) announced that if the street is renamed, the subway station of the same name will also change its name. Source: rbb24

What happened to policeman 24111?

During pro-Palestinian protests in Berlin, a police officer is said to have been seriously injured by the demonstrators, being dragged into the crowd and trampled. The case became a topic in the Bundestag. The video, analyzed by the research agency Forensis, part of the Forensic Architecture network, shows a different picture than the one presented by the police. Süddeutsche Zeitung and NDR were also able to view and examine it. According to the police, 24111 is still not fit for duty. However, if officers were handled very roughly, an analysis of the footage displays that police officer 24111 was not pulled to the ground, but rather was attacking protesters himself. Source: SZ

NEWS FROM GERMANY

Number of right-wing extremists in Brandenburg rises substantially

Right-wing extremists are on the rise in Brandenburg, according to the latest report from the Office for the Protection of the Constitution. A total of 3,650 people were recorded—almost 20% more than in the previous year, as reported by Interior Minister René Wilke (no party) at the presentation of the 2024 report. Of these, almost half are classified as “violence-oriented,” whose number has risen by 130 to 1,430. On the other side, the number of left-wing extremists remained at 550, unchanged compared to the previous year. Source: rbb24

German schools should limit spaces for migrant kids, according to minister

On show Politikergrillen (“Grilling politicians”), host Jan Burgard pressed Germany’s Education Minister Karin Prien (CDU) as to why German schools had recently performed so poorly in the OECD’s PISA assessment. Prien said that this was due to the mix of children in the school system and that many refugee children in Germany start school with insufficient German skills. Burgard then told Prien that the Danish government requires schools in areas with a high proportion of migrant-background children to pause pupil applications to attract more “ethnically Danish” students, which she presented as one route for the country. Criticisms came from a broad political spectrum. Source: iamexpat

Deutsche Bahn commuters still have to wait

Deutsche Bahn (DB) announced it intends to extend the comprehensive refurbishment of particularly important routes until 2036. The general overhaul of more than 40 busy lines in urgent need of refurbishment will therefore take at least five years longer than originally planned. Previously, these projects were all due to be completed by the end of 2030. The upcoming general refurbishments will affect, among others, the Hamburg-Berlin line from August 1. The Lübeck-Hamburg and Frankfurt-Heidelberg corridors, previously planned for 2027, will also be postponed. Passengers will now probably have to put up with the dilapidated network and the resulting high level of unpunctuality for much longer. Source: dw

More than 100 people remember murder victim Rahma A.

More than 100 people remembered the dead Rahma A. from Algeria in Hanover on Thursday. A neighbour is said to have stabbed the 26-year-old to death in an apartment building in Arnum near Hanover on July 4. The young woman had been living in Germany for two years, worked in a hospital and wanted to start training as a nurse. The background for the crime is still unclear, with a possible racist or Islamophobic motive. Source: t-online

Lieferando: 36-hour strike

The Food, Beverages and Catering Union (NGG) is trying to convince Germany’s largest delivery service to sign a collective agreement for its 6,000 employees—so far without success. This is set to change: NGG wants to force Lieferando to the negotiating table with a “nationwide wave of strikes.” “Especially after the high inflation of recent years, a collective agreement is more than overdue,” said NGG head of department Mark Baumeister. The starting signal was given on 11 July in Hamburg with a 36-hour warning strike, with further warning strikes to follow. Source: fr

News from Berlin

Number of drug deaths in Berlin at a new high

In Berlin, 294 people died from the use of illegal drugs last year, as mentioned at a press conference on 7 July, held by the Federal Commissioner for Addiction and Drug Issues, Hendrik Streeck. This is a new high for the capital. According to police crime statistics, there were 271 drug-related deaths in Berlin in 2023. Nationwide the number of drug-related deaths fell slightly last year to 2,137 cases. Nevertheless, 342 deaths related to synthetic opioids were counted in Germany – more than ever before. The 14% increase in deaths among young people in the country under the age of 30 is worrying. Source: rbb

Police investigate possible syringe attacks at the Matrix

Police and fire department were deployed at the Matrix club, where several guests complained of feeling unwell, and two women claimed to have been stabbed in the arm. According to reports, nine people had to receive medical treatment in the club on 26 June. After medical treatment, it was not possible to rule out punctures. Based on the statements of witnesses, the police arrested two men aged 35 and 44 in the vicinity. However, no suspicious objects were found on them, and they were released. The investigation is ongoing, according to the police. Source: rbb

News from Germany

New minimum wage in Germany announced

The German government has announced that on January 1, 2026, the German minimum wage will increase from 12,82 euros to 13,90 euros per hour. A second increase will come on January 1, 2027, when the minimum wage will rise to 14,60 euros per hour. The statutory minimum wage applies to all workers in Germany over the age of 18. During its election campaign, the SPD called for the minimum hourly wage to increase to 15 euros. After the CDU and SPD joined forces following the election, their coalition agreement stated that the 15-euro hourly wage would be “achievable” by 2026. Source: iamexpat

Growth booster: Germany as a business location

Boosting the economy, securing jobs and creating permanently higher economic growth. According to current federal coalition, this is a high-priority goal. To accomplish this, the Federal Cabinet has adopted the “draft law for an immediate tax investment programme to strengthen Germany as a business location”. Specifically, the draft law includes the following points: a) investment booster, with accelerated depreciation of 30% per year for equipment; b) reduction in corporation tax. From 2032, the total tax burden will be under 25%, instead of the current 30 %; c) corporate e-mobility, promoting the use of electric vehicles for business purposes; and d) expansion of the research allowance. Source: bundesregierung

AfD parlimentary members are to be moderate

The AfD parliamentary group’s ‘Code of Conduct’ has been updated to reflect their political strategy: “The members are committed to a united and moderate approach in parliament in order to ensure the political ability to act and the credibility of the parliamentary group.” Party leader Tino Chrupalla has repeatedly stated in recent weeks that members of his party should moderate their tone and made open advances to political competitors. The AfD believes such strategy will open up to new groups of voters. The party is also trying to distance itself from the extremist activist Martin Sellner, probably also out of fear of the impending ban proceedings. Source: taz

Well educated and still looking for a job?

Job seekers are currently having a hard time due to companies are holding back on job advertisements owing to the tense economic situation. Both job portals such as ‘Indeed’ and ‘the Federal Employment Agency’ report that the number of jobs advertised has recently fallen significantly, with 17% fewer vacancies in June this year than in June 2024. At the same time, the number of unemployed people in Germany has risen by almost 190,000. Virginia Sondergeld, economist at Indeed, says that the situation is not completely hopeless. For instance, one can look closely at the areas in which staff are currently still being sought. Source: tagesschau

Pistorius defines criteria for compulsory military service

Federal Defence Minister Boris Pistorius (SPD) has specified his plans for voluntary military service and a transition to compulsory military service. According to “Der Spiegel”, which quotes from a draft bill, service is to become compulsory if it “urgently requires a short-term increase in the armed forces that cannot be achieved on a voluntary basis”. According to that document, the cabinet and the Bundestag are to decide on compulsory recruitment in the event of an intensification of the threat situation, for example. From 2030, Pistorius wants to be able to call up a total force of 460,000 soldiers. Source: tagesschau

NEWS FROM BERLIN

Referendum “Berlin car-free” is admissible

The regional court in Berlin announced last week that the “Berlin car-free” referendum is admissible. The MPs now have four months to pass or reject the law. If they reject it, a second signature-gathering phase will begin, in which the initiative must collect signatures from 7% of Berlin’s eligible voters within four months. If they are successful, a referendum could be held in 2026. The draft law stipulates that after a transitional period of four years, private individuals will only be allowed to make 12 trips per person per year within the S-Bahn ring. Numerous special permits for commercial traffic and special needs are planned, and taxis will still be allowed. Source: taz

Queer-hostile attack on bar in Prenzlauer Berg

Berlin police have reported several anti-queer offenses in an attack on a bar, the “Tipsy Bear,” in Prenzlauer Berg, last Saturday. According to current information, a group of seven to eight people is said to have appeared at the bar at around 1:45 am. One of the young men from the group reportedly turned towards the pub with a baseball bat in his hand, fleeing when police officers approached. The Berlin State Office of Criminal Investigation has taken over the investigation. In recent years, there have been several attacks against the bar on Eberswalder Straße. Source: queer.de

NEWS FROM GERMANY

Germany stops reunification of refugees’ families

The German Parliament has approved government plans to suspend the admission into the country of family members of individuals with subsidiary protection status for the next two years. Currently, over 300,000 people with subsidiary protection status live in Germany, the majority from Syria. The classification is for people who do not meet the specific criteria for refugee status under the Geneva Convention but who face a risk of serious harm in their country of origin. Critics, such as human rights NGO ProAsyl, have said that separation from family can place a huge psychological strain on those affected. Source: dw

Söder indicates ideas for a German “Iron Dome”

Markus Söder (CSU) told Bild am Sonntag that thousands of drones and new missile systems need to be purchased, as well as a German version of the “Iron Dome.” “Germany needs a protective shield with precision weapons,” according to Söder, who is calling for the establishment of a drone army with 100,000 drones and a missile defense shield based on the Israeli model. “To this end, we should cooperate with Ukraine and Israel and use their experience.” The CSU politician also mentioned that the Bundeswehr needs other weapons such as “2,000 Patriots and 1,000 Taurus just for Germany,” among others. Source: spiegel

Merkel criticizes asylum policy

Former Chancellor Angela Merkel has distanced herself from the practice of the CDU/CSU-led Interior Ministry of having asylum seekers turned back at the border. “If someone says ‘asylum’ here at the German border, they must first be given a procedure. Directly at the border, if you like, but a procedure,” said the Christian Democrat at a meeting with former refugees. “That’s my understanding of European law.” Merkel also warned against allowing herself to be driven by the AfD when it comes to migration policy. “I can’t always just talk about the AfD and take up their agenda,” she said. Source: tagesschau

SPD calls for AfD ban

The SPD has officially launched efforts to ban the AfD. At their party congress in Berlin last weekend, delegates voted unanimously to set up a federal working group tasked with collecting evidence of the far-right party’s unconstitutionality. “The nationalist wing dominates the party,” reads the resolution. The hurdles here are high: a party can only be banned if it is proven to actively work against the constitution, a line the SPD claims the AfD has now clearly crossed. “Of course it’s risky,” admitted Thuringia’s SPD interior minister Georg Maier, “but the risk of doing nothing is even greater.” Source: theberliner

Poland introduces controls at border with Germany

Germany has led the way, now it is Poland’s turn, which will from 7 July introduce temporary border controls with Germany and Lithuania. Normally, there are no checks on people at internal borders in the Schengen area. The German government has already ordered checks at all German borders to combat irregular migration. However, the legal assessment of rejections at the border is inconsistent. At the beginning of June, the Berlin Administrative Court ruled that three people from Somalia, who had been refused entry from Poland by the Federal Police despite having applied for asylum, could not be turned back. Source: br