Amid global energy supply disruptions, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz has indicated that it may be necessary to keep the country’s coal-fired power plants operational for longer than planned. Speaking at an event organized by the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung in Frankfurt, Merz stated, “We may need to keep our coal plants online for longer.” Germany has relied on coal as a primary energy source for decades, but its share has dropped to less than 22% by 2024, with renewable energy sources nearing 60%. The country is in the process of phasing out coal to minimize pollution, with the last coal-fired plants scheduled to be shut down by 2038. Merz emphasized on Friday, “I am not ready to gamble with the core of our energy supply just because we agreed on some deadlines years ago.”
The conservative chancellor also pledged to continue expanding renewable energy sources but noted they would need to be supplemented by natural gas. He ruled out a return to nuclear power in the near future. Meanwhile, cabin crew at Lufthansa and its German regional airline, Lufthansa CityLine, have voted overwhelmingly in favor of a strike. Their union said in a statement on Friday that support for a strike was 94% at Lufthansa and 99% at CityLine, with not a single “no” vote. Sara Grubisic, deputy chair of the Independent Flight Attendants’ Organization (UFO), stated, “Turnout for the strike votes was higher than it has been in a long time. This shows how great the pressure is, but also how strong the unity is among the cabin crew.”
German rail operator Deutsche Bahn reported a net loss of €2.3 billion on Friday, largely due to a reduction in the expected value of its long-distance business. The state-owned company said the loss widened by about €500 million compared to the previous year. A €1.4 billion reduction in the value of its DB Fernverkehr unit was cited as the main reason, as rail infrastructure and punctuality improve only slowly. The sale of logistics subsidiary DB Schenker also removed a key profit source, although proceeds helped cut debt by nearly €12 billion. CEO Evelyn Palla remarked, “Satisfaction would be out of place. Only when we are once again generating sustainable annual surpluses and can finance investments from our own resources will we have reached our goal.”
A poll revealed low confidence in Social Democratic Party (SPD) leaders to steer the party out of its crisis. According to the ZDF “Politbarometer,” 75% of respondents said Vice Chancellor and Finance Minister Lars Klingbeil and Federal Labor Minister and SPD co-leader Bärbel Bas are not capable of putting the party back on track. Among SPD supporters, 56% shared that view, while only 29% expressed confidence in the leadership duo. The poll also showed internal debate over the party’s direction, with 48% of SPD supporters calling for a stronger emphasis on left-wing policies, and 22% wanting the opposite. If a federal election were held on Sunday, the SPD—Germany’s oldest political party—would receive a record low of 13%.
A potentially dangerous invasive ant species has been detected in Germany for the first time. A biology student identified unusual ants at Stuttgart’s Wilhelma Zoo, and researchers later confirmed a full colony of Asian needle ants in a nearby park. Scientists said the species can deliver painful stings that may trigger allergic shock, similar to wasp stings, and in rare cases can be life-threatening. Experts from the Senckenberg Society for Natural Research in Frankfurt announced, “The insects are classified as particularly problematic by the European Union due to their potential for causing damage and their potentially allergy-inducing stings.” The species was upgraded to the EU’s highest threat category last summer.
Source: www.dw.com