Overview
- This week President Frank‑Walter Steinmeier made unusual phone calls to Finance Minister Lars Klingbeil and Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt because he feared the governing CDU/CSU–SPD coalition could fracture.
- The Kanzleramt has blocked Klingbeil’s draft sugar tax as “not majority‑capable in this form,” while Klingbeil insists the government agreed to introduce a sugar tax and will press the issue.
- A cabinet fight over the Pflegereform, disagreements on pensions, income tax relief and labour‑market changes have exposed coordination failures and forced plans for a Koalitionsausschuss to try to negotiate compromises.
- A confirmed recount in Berlin‑Spandau awarded the direct mandate to AfD candidate Tommy Tabor, which cut the Abgeordnetenhaus from 158 to 153 seats and means five candidates who expected seats — including CDU’s Bettina Meißner — will likely lose them.
- Jürgen Klopp’s first win as Germany coach (2:0 v. Serbia) with a heavily rotated, energetic lineup and goals from Tom Bischof and Florian Wirtz has become an immediate positive public storyline during the political turmoil.