Germany updates: Social Democrats bid farewell to Scholz

06/28/2025June 28, 2025

Germany cannot take security for granted, warns Chancellor Merz

On Armed Forces Day (Tag der Bundeswehr), German Chancellor Friedrich Merz warned of a false sense of security in Germany and called for greater defense efforts.

In his address at the Bundeswehr's Operations Command near Potsdam, Merz pointed to Russia's ongoing war on Ukraine.

"We must not take our security for granted. We must do more to ensure that we can live in freedom, peace, and security," the chancellor said.

Merz also thanked the soldiers for their service and called for more recognition from the public.

"I want the value of the work done by soldiers in our country to be seen and appreciated," he said.

The conservative chancellor also visited the Forest of Remembrance, where concrete pillars record the names of German soldiers killed in foreign missions in recent decades.

06/28/2025June 28, 2025

Firefighters rescue raccoon family from chimney

These young raccoons were rescued and are waiting for their mother to return for themImage: Feuerwehr Brackerfeld/dpa/picture alliance

Firefighters in Breckerfeld, a town in the southeastern Ruhr area of western Germany, rescued a mother raccoon and her four cubs from a chimney. 

According to the local fire department, residents of a single-family home called rescue workers on Friday evening to report unusual occurrences in the chimney. 

One firefighter then climbed onto the roof to the chimney cap, while a second volunteer positioned himself at the cleaning hatch. When the animals finally crawled out of the chimney, the mother fled.

Since the firefighters didn't know where to take the cubs, they searched online and found an animal welfare association in Fulda, Hesse — about 250 kilometers away — whose board member, Sandra Fiedrich, is a raccoon expert.

She recommended that the firefighters place the young raccoons in an open box, leave it at the scene, and then leave. "Raccoon mothers are very good mothers. They always return to where their cubs should be. They simply tip the box over and retrieve their cubs," Fiedrich explained.

According to the fire department, that's exactly what happened.

06/28/2025June 28, 2025

Turkish opposition leader seeks Germany's help against government

Ozgur Ozel, the leader of Turkey's Republican People's Party (CHP), called on Germany to support the Turkish opposition amid increasing government repression.

"The rise of the CHP has caused the government to panic," he said, speaking at the Social Democratic Party (SPD) congress in Berlin. The CHP is a sister party of the SPD.

"Since October last year, they have massively increased their pressure and attacks against our party and social opposition," Ozel added.

After his impassioned speech, the SPD congress unanimously passed a motion demanding the immediate release of Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu, who has been detained since March 19, as well as all other political prisoners in Turkey.

Ozel emphasized the importance of Turkey's goal of full EU membership and stated that his party strives for a democratic Turkey based on human rights and the rule of law.

He also warned, "In relations with Turkey, it would be a fatal mistake to prioritize short-term economic or security policy interests over democracy."

06/28/2025June 28, 2025

Germans believe ice cream in their country is too expensive

Six out of 10 respondents said they "always" or "occasionally" order fewer scoops due to the increased prices when compared to five years agoImage: Lu Yang/Xinhua/picture alliance

With temperatures in many places in Germany rising, Germans head to the nearest ice cream parlor.

However, according to a YouGov survey commissioned by Germany's dpa news agency, nearly two-thirds (64%) of people in the country believe ice cream prices are too high.

Six out of 10 respondents said they "always" or "occasionally" order fewer scoops due to increased prices compared to five years ago.

However, 28% said the price has no impact on the number of scoops they buy. Most people purchase two scoops (50%) or three scoops (23%). Scoops cost between €1.30 ($1.52) and €2.80.

If it's any consolation, ice cream in Germany is relatively inexpensive, said Annalisa Carnio, spokeswoman for the Association of Italian Ice Cream Manufacturers in Germany (Uniteis).

In France, a scoop costs between €3.50 and €5, in Italy €2.50 to €4, and in Spain €3 to €4.

06/28/2025June 28, 2025

UN urges Germany to keep taking part in resettlement program

Filippo Grandi, the head of the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR), expressed regret over the German government's decision to temporarily withdraw from the organization's refugee resettlement program .

"This worries me," Grandi told the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung newspaper.

"It would be nice if Germany could still take in a few refugees through this program," he added, mentioning a person who is unsafe in their native country because of their homosexuality as an example.

Through the resettlement program, the UNHCR refers particularly vulnerable refugees, who cannot remain in their initial host countries, to other nations. Those accepted do not need to apply for asylum and are initially allowed to stay for three years.

Germany had originally pledged to accept a total of 13,000 refugees in 2024 and 2025, but this commitment was suspended following the government change in May.

Grandi also warned against forcing Syrian refugees to return to their homeland after the fall of the Assad regime, saying that the new government is inexperienced and that the situation is fragile.

Since 2015, Germany has taken in more than one million Syrian refugees, though not through the UN mechanism.

06/28/2025June 28, 2025

Scholz warns against having any illusions about Putin's plans

Former Chancellor Olaf Scholz delivered a farewell speech at the Social Democratic Party congress in Berlin.

He was self-critical in it, but defended the government's policies under his leadership.

Scholz also warned against having any illusions about Vladimir Putin's intentions. The Russian president wants to hold on to his conquests in Ukraine and would even like to expand them, said Scholz.

However, Putin must not be allowed to change borders by force, said the former chancellor. By doing so, the Russian leader has broken with decades of understanding in post-war Europe, Scholz added.

Consequences have been drawn from this turning point: "The Bundeswehr will become stronger and cooperation within NATO has reached new dimensions. That is also right," said Scholz.

He called for high earners to contribute more towards financing defence capabilities, saying it is strange that they are even talking about tax cuts. "That's an interesting mathematical calculation," said Scholz. He continued: "I certainly believe that we are being called upon to show new solidarity in our country."

Saskia Esken, the former co-party leader who did not stand for re-election, will also address the party congress delegates later in the day.

06/28/2025June 28, 2025

Welcome to our coverage

Guten Tag, and welcome to DW's coverage of developments in Germany on Saturday, June 28.

The center-left Social Democratic Party (SPD) continues its party congress in Berlin.

On Friday, Lars Klingbeil was re-elected as co-leader of the party, receiving 65% support, a significant decrease from the 85.6% he garnered in 2023.

Labor Minister Bärbel Bas was elected co-chair with 95%, replacing Saskia Esken. Germany's February parliamentary elections saw the SPD relegated to third place in what was its worst showing in many decades.

For all of the latest news from Germany, stay tuned here.