Skip next section States vote in favor of voluntary military conscription
12/19/2025December 19, 2025
States vote in favor of voluntary military conscription
Germany’s federal states have voted in the Bundesrat in favor of an amendment to the country’s military service.
As part of the amendment, the German army will be able to collect the data of 18-year-olds for possible military service, while also requiring them to complete a questionnaire about whether they would be willing to join the Bundeswehr, Germany’s army.
According to the German government’s decision from November, young men will be obliged to go through the process, with conscription itself still being voluntary rather than obligatory.
Should that not provide the Bundeswehr with enough soldiers, the government could turn to compulsory army service for young people to fill the remaining gaps.
Conscription is back in Germany? What does that mean for young people?
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https://p.dw.com/p/55hfY
Skip next section WATCH – Germany’s Merz pleadges ‘wide-ranging’ security guarantees for Ukraine
12/19/2025December 19, 2025
WATCH – Germany’s Merz pleadges ‘wide-ranging’ security guarantees for Ukraine
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz spoke at the Bundestag to express his commitment to Ukraine’s security, also hinting at a potential deployment of German armed forces to Ukraine.
German chancellor pledges security guarantees for Ukraine
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https://p.dw.com/p/55hY3
Skip next section Frankfurt: Night taxis for women for €6
12/19/2025December 19, 2025
Frankfurt: Night taxis for women for €6
The western city of Frankfurt will allow women to take a taxi within the city between 10 p.m. and 6 a.m. at a subsidized price of €6 (roughly $7), the German public broadcaster WDR has reported.
The offer is effective immediately, and is available to all girls and women over the age of 14 to help them get home safe.
Women need to collect a voucher from city hall for the rides, with every woman having up to six such vouchers a year.
https://p.dw.com/p/55gey
Skip next section Homeless man donates €200 to single mothers
12/19/2025December 19, 2025
Homeless man donates €200 to single mothers
A homeless person in the German city of Stuttgart donated €200 ($235) to a local organization that helps single mothers, the public outlet SWR reported.
In a letter added to the donation, the homeless person, known as Schwalbe, said he’d like to give single mothers a “more beautiful holiday” through the donations.
Schwalbe, who lives off collecting bottles and returning them for the deposit, said his donation was a gift to God in celebration of Jesus’ upcoming birthday.
“Some people have too little while some have too much,” Schwalbe said.
“Everyone would have enough if [income] were fairly distributed.”
Begging in Germany — out of options in a wealthy country
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https://p.dw.com/p/55gdy
Skip next section Bundestag to debate US relations on AfD request
12/19/2025December 19, 2025
Bundestag to debate US relations on AfD request
The Bundestag, Germany’s lower house, will debate the country’s partnership with the US, at the request of the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party.
The party has filed several motions that call for Germany to “seize the opportunities” offered by the US administration’s new security approach, as led by President Donald Trump, with one of the motions also saying Germany and the US should “push back” against “woke culture.”
The populist AfD party has been maintaining contacts to the MAGA supporters in the Republican PartyImage: Jason Alpert-Wisnia/Sipa USA/picture alliance
Members of the Trump administration have voiced support for the nationalist party on several occasions, including Vice President JD Vance.
During the last federal election campaign, the AfD received backing from the United States. In a widely discussed speech at the Munich Security Conference, US Vice President Vance called for closer cooperation between German parties and the radical right-wing AfD.
https://p.dw.com/p/55gcS
Skip next section Employment at lowest levels since pandemic era — employment index
12/19/2025December 19, 2025
Employment at lowest levels since pandemic era — employment index
Germany’s employment prospects have reached their lowest figure since May 2020, during the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The ifo Institute’s employment index fell from 92.5 points in November to 91.9 points this month, with one of the main reasons being the prolonged weakness of the manufacturing sector, the institute said.
“The weak economy is continuing to slow down the labor market,” Klaus Wohlrabe, head of surveys at ifo, said in a press release.
This comes despite the Friedrich Merz-led government’s economic stimulus package.
While the International Monetary Fund (IMF) foresees an average growth of some 1.5% in Western industrialized countries and Japan, Germany’s economy could only experience a gross domestic product rise of 0.1%, as per an October update.
https://p.dw.com/p/55hAQ
Skip next section Tendency to save highest since 2008, new poll finds
12/19/2025December 19, 2025
Tendency to save highest since 2008, new poll finds
A new poll in Germany suggests that consumers’ tendency to save rather than spend is at its highest since the 2008 financial crisis.
According to the pollsters, market research company GfK and the Nürnberg Institute for Market Decisions (NIM), concerns about potential inflation and the ongoing debate in Germany over the future of the country’s retirement funding have contributed to the result.
NIM expert Rolf Bürki called the results “not positive news” ahead of the Christmas shopping season, while also expecting the negative trend to go on in the start of 2026.
Other sectors taken into account apart from retail are services, travel and real estate rentals.
https://p.dw.com/p/55gTy
Skip next section Welcome to our coverage12/19/2025December 19, 2025
Welcome to our coverage
Guten Tag from our newsroom in Bonn!
We will be following the news in Germany today as the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party asks the Bundestag, the lower house of parliament, to hold a discussion about Berlin’s relations with the United States.
Also in the news: Germans seem to be holding onto their savings ahead of the Christmas holiday.
Stay tuned for the latest news, videos and analyses from Germany.
https://p.dw.com/p/55gPs
