Skip next section Merz’s Spain trip overshadowed by Israel sanctions issue
09/18/2025September 18, 2025
Merz’s Spain trip overshadowed by Israel sanctions issue
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz is to travel to Madrid on Thursday on his first visit to Spain since taking office in May.
His talks with Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez are expected to focus on European political issues and security policy,
But one issue could possibly cause contention between the two leaders despite the generally good relations between their countries: that of policy toward Israel amidits offensive against the Palestinian militant group Hamas in retaliation for the deadly attacks the group led on Israel on October 7, 2023.
Although both leaders have sharply criticized the Israeli military operation, which has led to a humanitarian crisis in the Gaza Strip, Germany has so far rejected imposing any sanctions on Israel beyond curbing some arms exports.
Spain, however, has taken a far more proactive stance.
In 2024, it joined South Africa’s lawsuit at the International Court of Justice accusing Israel of genocide, the first EU member to do so.
Sanchez also in September announced a complete arms embargo and a travel ban “for all those individuals directly involved in the genocide, human rights violations and war crimes in Gaza.”
The meeting between Merz and Sanchez comes as the EU mulls sanctions, including revoking free trade benefits and punitive measures against extremist Israeli lawmakers and settlers. Merz has not yet announced his position on the proposals, made by EU top diplomat Kaja Kallas on Wednesday.
Green co-chair calls for German position on Gaza
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https://p.dw.com/p/50fnR
Skip next section Survey shows ‘German angst’ on the ebb
09/18/2025September 18, 2025
Survey shows ‘German angst’ on the ebb
The cliche about Germans being plagued by anxiety and fear about the future seems less true than ever, a new survey has shown.
In fact, it is a rather down-to-earth matter of making ends meet that has most people in Germany concerned, while levels of general fearfulness in German society appear to be going down, despite the current global tumult and crises.
You can read more here: German fears: Rising cost of living tops list of concerns
https://p.dw.com/p/50faW
Skip next section Germany’s FDP calls planned budget borrowing ‘war on the young generation’
09/18/2025September 18, 2025
Germany’s FDP calls planned budget borrowing ‘war on the young generation’
As German parliamentarians prepare to vote on the 2025 budget put forward by the coalition government, the opposition pro-business Free Democrats (FDP) have criticized the borrowing it would entail.
Party leader Christian Dürr told the DPA news agency that the government’s debt policy was “the biggest declaration of war on the young generation” ever seen in Germany.
The spending plan, which is expected to be passed on Thursday, includes nearly €82 billion ($97.2 billion) in new borrowing. The Bundestag, or lower house of parliament, is also expected to pass a special fund for investments worth €500 billion that is also financed by debt.
Dürr argued that much of the money in the special fund would not go toward new projects but bolster old ones.
He said that by taking on this “exorbitant debt,” Chancellor Friedrich Merz was taking “the path of least resistance, just to avoid necessary radical structural reforms.”
Merz and his government have said the increased debt is necessary to make Germany more resilient to face current economic and security challenges.
Dürr’s comments are not likely to have much effect on voting in the Bundestag on Thursday, as his FDP failed the reach the 5% threshold in the most recent federal elections and currently has no representatives in Germany’s lower chamber of parliament.
https://p.dw.com/p/50fpp
Skip next section Welcome to our coverage09/18/2025September 18, 2025
Welcome to our coverage
Guten Morgen from DW’s newsroom in Bonn.
Today, we will be looking at a vote at the Bundestag, the lower house of parliament, on the 2025 budget
We’re also expecting to hear from an insurance company about Germans’ biggest fears of the year.
In other news, Chancellor Friedrich Merz is traveling to Madrid this afternoon. He and Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez will share their differing opinions on policy toward Israel and Gaza.
https://p.dw.com/p/50eXc
