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Farah Bahgat
Published 07/03/2025Published July 3, 2025last updated 07/03/2025last updated July 3, 2025Germany's interior minister is calling for direct talks to deport Afghan migrants who were convicted of crimes. The German coalition failed to agree on reducing an electricity tax. Follow for more headlines from Germany.
https://p.dw.com/p/4wrs6
Last year, Germany flew 45 rejected asylum seekers back to Afghanistan after negotiations mediated by Qatar (FILE: August, 2024)Image: picture alliance/dpaWhat you need to know
German Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt has said that needing third parties to negotiate with Afghanistan's rulers, the Taliban, is "not a permenant solution."
His remarks represent a shift in Germany's policy of not directly talking to the Taliban.
Also dominating the headlines in German media today is the coalition government's failure to reach a deal on reducing the electricity tax.
Meanwhile, a new survey shows the majority of Germans want a ban of a rule that allows young teens to drink.
Below, you can read a mix of news, analysis and background of what Germany is talking about on Thursday, July 3.
07/03/2025July 3, 2025
Majority of Germans against rule allowing young teens to drink
A Forsa survey commissioned by commercial health insurance company KKH showed that 65% of Germans were in favor of abolishing a rule that allows young teenagers to drink alcohol.
Under the supervised drinking rule, teens as young as 14-year-olds could buy and consume beer and wine if they are with a legal guardian.
According to the poll, 52% also support raising the legal age for drinking beer and wine from 16 to 18.
The survey included more than 1,000 participants aged 18 to 70 from across Germany.
Health Minister Nina Warken has voiced support for an initiative by ministers from German states calling for a ban supervised drinking.
How important is alcohol in the lives of Germans?
https://p.dw.com/p/4wrxq
Skip next section Welcome to our coverage07/03/2025July 3, 2025
Welcome to our coverage
Guten Morgen! We're watching the news in Germany today from Bonn, where the weather has cooled down again after an intense heat wave.
Today, Germany's Chancellor Friedrich Merz is scheduled to speak at a banking conference in Berlin, and the foreign minister is meeting with his Chinese counterpart.
We'll also highlight in this blog some explainers and analyses from our colleagues across DW.
https://p.dw.com/p/4wrst
