Skip next section Alcohol in Germany comes cheap
01/05/2026January 5, 2026
Alcohol in Germany comes cheap
Alcohol drinkers get off relatively cheaply in GermanyImage: picture-alliance/imageBroker
Alchoholic beverages are cheaper in Germany than any other EU country except Italy, figures from the Federal Statistical Office (Destatis) released on Monday for “Dry January” show.
In October 2025, alcohol prices in Germany were 14% below the EU average, with only those in Italy being lower, at 19% below the average.
Finland had by far the highest prices, with alcoholic drinks costing 110% more than the EU average.
The rate of alcohol consumption in Germany remains high, with 11.2 liters (0.32 gallons) of pure alcohol (the equivalent of 448 0.5 liter glasses of beer containing 5% alcohol) drunk per person aged 15 or more in 2022, according to the World Health Organization.
This is, however, a drop from the 12.1 liters per person consumed 10 years earlier, and put Germany in 9th position in a list of the heaviest drinkers in the EU in 2022, along with France and Portugal.
Heading that list by far was Romania, with a per capita annual consumption of 17.1 liters of pure alcohol.
But while Germany may be one of the cheapest places n the EU to buy alcoholic drinks, that is not the case for soft drinks, which cost 2% above the EU average.
This still compares quite favorably with Latvia, which has a high sugar tax and where nonalcoholic drinks are a whole 46% over the EU average.
How important is alcohol in the lives of Germans?
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https://p.dw.com/p/56L5I
Skip next section Wadephul in Lithuania to talk Ukraine
01/05/2026January 5, 2026
Wadephul in Lithuania to talk Ukraine
German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul is kicking off his schedule of official trips in 2026 on Monday with a visit to NATO and EU partner Lithuania.
Speaking before his departure, Wadephul said Europe had to “meet the threat posed by Russia with firm European solidarity.”
He said it was vital “that we are prepared to defend ourselves and our freedom more independently.”
Both Germany and Lithuania are in agreement that only resolute action would help deter Russia from its current course of constant escalation, Wadephul said.
He said the German government was working together with Lithuania and other NATO partners and EU member states to this end, including by stepping up patrols over the Baltic Sea, being more alert and investing in more robust infrastructure.
According to Wadephul, both Germany and Lithuania are united by their determined support for Ukraine, “particularly during this possibly decisive phase of international efforts to end Russia’s war of aggression.”
During his visit to Vilnius, Wadephul is scheduled to hold talks with Lithuanian Prime Minister Inga Ruginiene and Foreign Minister Kestutis Budrys on Ukraine, the defense of NATO’s eastern flank and the fight against hybrid threats such as cyberattacks and disinformation.
Wadephul also intends to visit the 45th Panzer (Tank) Brigade of the German Bundeswehr in Nemencine near Vilnius, which has been deployed to NATO’s eastern flank to help counter the threat of Russian territorial aggression.
Rheinmetall boosts NATO defenses with Baltic weapons plant
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Skip next section Solar power on the up in Germany
01/05/2026January 5, 2026
Solar power on the up in Germany
Solar power in Germany generated 18% of domestic electricity production in 2025, up up from 14% in 2024, the German Solar Industry Association (BSW) said on Monday.
Photovoltaic power thus accounted for more electricity than lignite-fired plants, which generated some 14%, and natural gas, which accounted for 16%, the association said.
The figures are based on data from the Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems.
Germany’s largest source of electricity remained wind power, which accounted for 27% of domestic production.
In 2025, the 5.5 million installed photovoltaic systems in Germany produced a record some 87 terawatt hours of electricity, 15 terawatt hours more than in 2024, according to preliminary annual figures.
However, the BSW said that despite the increase in solar power production, the rate of growth in the sector in Germany in 2025 was insufficient for the country to meet its legally binding targets for 2030.
Negative German electricity prices harm energy transition
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Skip next section Welcome to our coverage01/05/2026January 5, 2026
Welcome to our coverage
Guten Tag from the DW newsroom in Bonn!
As a cold, wintry spell continues to grip Germany, all sympathies must go to the many Berlin residents who are still without power two days after a suspected arson attack on a cable bridge.
In better electricity news, solar energy production is on the rise — but still more is needed if Germany is to reach legally binding climate targets.
And as Russia continues its invasion of Ukraine, Germany’s foreign minister, Johann Wadephul, is to discuss support for Kyiv and ways of combating Moscow’s hybrid warfare with officials in Lithuania.
DW will be keeping you up to date with all the latest topics concerning Germany as 2026 gets underway.
https://p.dw.com/p/56Kha
