Germany news: Bundestag honors its late ex-president

DW News · Feb 24, 2026 · Collected from RSS

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Skip next section Germany warns its citizens in the Middle EastFebruary 25, 2026Germany warns its citizens in the Middle EastGermany's Foreign Ministry called on German citizens in the Middle East to take safety precautions in light of a potential US attack on Iran that could destabilize the region. Berlin warned its citizens in Israel in particular to prepare to stay at their location for some time in case the airspace is closed due to Iranian attacks, saying that if such an event happened "the support options from the embassy and the Foreign Ministry are very limited," the embassy in Israel said. German citizens in Israel were advised to install an app on their mobile phones that warns of impending missile attacks and, "in view of the escalating security situation in the region," to stock up on supplies and familiarize themselves with protection options and shelters at every location. German citizens in Lebanon would also be affected in the event of further escalation, as flight restrictions could occur at any time, the German embassy in Beirut said. https://p.dw.com/p/59LphSkip next section Germany treats over a thousand of Ukraine's woundedFebruary 24, 2026Germany treats over a thousand of Ukraine's woundedWarken said Germany's health sector continued to show willigness to aid Ukraine [FILE: December 19, 2025]Image: Bernd Elmenthaler/IMAGOAfter four years in Russia's invasion of Ukraine, some 1,700 wounded in the war, including soldiers, have traveled to Germany for treatment, the German Health Ministry said. The patients have been distributed to various clinics with some €25 million ($29 million) in public funds allocated for their care, the ministry said. "The willingness to help Ukraine remains high, including in the health sector." Health Minister Nina Warken said. "We continue to stand firmly by Ukraine's side," she added. According to the World Health Organization, more than 2,800 health care facilities have been targeted in the war. Germany's Health Ministry said it had also provided Ukraine with medical supplies, including protective suits, ventilators, and disinfectants. Click here for more from our coverage of events related to the war in Ukraine. https://p.dw.com/p/59LljSkip next section AfD leaders dismiss cronyism allegationsFebruary 24, 2026AfD leaders dismiss cronyism allegationsLeaders of the far‑right Alternative for Germany (AfD) have dismissed allegations of cronyism, even as insiders warn of potential reputational damage. For the first time since reports of widespread nepotism surfaced, Alice Weidel and Tino Chrupalla faced a swarm of journalists in the lower house of German parliament, the Bundestag. “We’re conducting individual conversations, and so far nothing problematic has come to light. All the accusations are unfounded,” Weidel said. The scrutiny follows revelations that AfD lawmakers employed relatives of fellow members of parliament. As a lawmaker, hiring your own relatives is explicitly banned. Despite Weidel’s attempts to downplay the issue, Chrupalla earlier admitted the affair “leaves a bad taste.” AfD officials stress that no evidence of illegality has emerged. But one case may prove particularly thorny: a senior Berlin lawmaker is reported to employ his partner, with whom he shares a postal address. He has until next week to clarify the situation to party leadership. Privately, senior figures tell me they fear the ongoing scandal could hurt the party in upcoming regional elections. https://p.dw.com/p/59Ld1Skip next section Share of foreign doctors in Germany nearly doublesFebruary 24, 2026Share of foreign doctors in Germany nearly doublesAn increasing number of foreign doctors are working in Germany, with their share in human and dental medicine rising sharply over the past decade, according to data from the country's official statistics office, Destatis. The office said 13% or about 64,000 doctors in 2024 did not hold German citizenship, up from 7% or 30,000 in 2014. By comparison, 15% of the overall workforce in 2024 had foreign citizenship, up from 9% a decade earlier. Nearly half, or 49%, of foreign doctors in 2024 were under 35 years old, compared with 18% among German doctors. Overall, 121,000 practicing doctors in human and dental medicine in 2024 had immigrated to Germany, accounting for 24% of the profession, with many having acquired German citizenship. In 2024, about 7,000 foreign-trained doctors received full recognition of their qualifications in Germany, making them the second-largest group after nurses in terms of recognized foreign credentials. Among them, 21% or about 1,400 were German citizens, followed by Syrians at 11% or nearly 800. Data on recognition also show many German students study medicine abroad, often to bypass admission limits at home. In 2023, about 2,600 German students were enrolled in human medicine in Austria, while nearly 1,900 studied in Hungary in 2024. In dental medicine, Austria hosted about 500 German students and Hungary around 300.How Syrian doctors feel about Germany's migration debateTo view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video https://p.dw.com/p/59LDcSkip next section German trade with eastern Europe outpaces overall growthFebruary 24, 2026German trade with eastern Europe outpaces overall growthGermany's trade with Central and Eastern Europe and Central Asia has grown faster than overall foreign trade in 2025, according to new data. Trade volume with the 29 target countries of the Committee on Eastern European Economic Relations, which released the figures, rose 3.4% to just over €550 billion ($648 billion). That compares with a 2.4% increase in Germany's total foreign trade, based on full-year 2025 figures from official statistics agency Destatis analyzed by the group. Exports to Poland and the Czech Republic alone increased by almost €9 billion in total. Poland represents Germany's fourth-largest sales market, ahead of both Italy and China. A separate survey by the Eastern Committee and KPMG found German companies remain optimistic about business prospects in Central and Eastern Europe and expect rising revenues, even as competitive pressure from China and the US intensifies. "Mercosur or India may become important in the future, but the present is called Central and Eastern Europe," Eastern Committee Chair Cathrina Claas-Mühlhaeuser said at the association’s annual press conference in Berlin.Market volatility rises as Trump hikes tariffs to 15%To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video https://p.dw.com/p/59LBbSkip next section German police arrest suspect over 1994 murder of US touristFebruary 24, 2026German police arrest suspect over 1994 murder of US touristEhrenbreitstein Fortress is a major tourist attraction in KoblenzImage: Thomas Frey/dpa/picture allianceGerman police have arrested an 81-year-old German man on suspicion of having murdered a US tourist, Amy Lopez, near the Ehrenbreitstein Fortress in the western city of Koblenz nearly 32 years ago. The arrest, made at the man's flat near Koblenz on Monday, follows the analysis of male DNA that was found on evidence during a review of the case using modern methods in 2024. Prosecutors are due to hold a press conference on Wednesday to give more information on the case. The murder victim, who was 24 at the time she was killed, had also been sexually assaulted, earlier police reports said, with prosecutors saying in September last year that the suspect might have a history of violent or sexual offenses. https://p.dw.com/p/59KhgSkip next section Morocco fails in suit against German media over 'state-denigrating' articlesFebruary 24, 2026Morocco fails in suit against German media over 'state-denigrating' articlesA lawsuit brought by Morocco against German newspapers that published articles it saw as injurious to "state honor" has failed before the German Federal Court of Justice. Judge Stephan Seiters said in the court's ruling that a state had neither "any personal honor, nor is it the bearer of personal rights." With its verdict, the court has rejected the right of other countries to stop German media from publishing claims they consider as denigratory. Morocco had sued German newspapers, including Zeit Online and Süddeutsche Zeitung, over articles they published claiming that the Moroccan secret service might have spied on French President Emmanuel Macron using Pegasus espionage software. The claims were connected with research by 17 international media outlets that revealed in 2021 that telephones used by hundreds of journalists, politicians and human rights activists in various countries had been monitored using the software. Morocco has denied the claims, saying it had never bought or used the software. A lawyer for the Süddeutsche Zeitung, Martin Schippan, welcomed the ruling, saying it bolstered press freedom and the work of German journalists abroad. The kingdom of Morocco has voiced the opposite opinion, saying the ruling "not only harms the reputation of the states concerned but also legitimates the dissemination of disinformation, thus undermining the purpose of freedom of opinion and the press." https://p.dw.com/p/59KclSkip next section Rita Süssmuth was exceptional, Merz says February 24, 2026Rita Süssmuth was exceptional, Merz says Saim Dušan InayatullahRita Süssmuth was an exceptional politician who was in advance of her times, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said in a speech at a parliamentary ceremony commemorating the late ex-president of the Bundestag. As examples, Merz cited her insistence on modern family policies and on making it easier to combine work and family, as well as her pioneering policies on AIDS. The chancellor said that although she had sometimes been at odds with his Christian Democratic Union (CDU), despite being a member of it, she was a Christian Democrat with heart and soul. "For her, human dignit