Viewers who tuned into BBC's hit show Gladiators were left surprised as an unexpected guest made an appearance

Politics

The contenders in Germany’s election are making their final appeals to voters

Politics

Germany heads to the polls for the fourth snap election in its history

Politics

Germany heads to the polls for the fourth snap election in its history

Politics

Rule dating from 2009 that limits borrowing looks vulnerable as main political parties promise to revive stalled economyGermany is used to running its economy with the brake on. Ever since the 2008 financial crisis Berlin has sought to burnish a reputation as the world capital of fiscal discipline, with a near-pious aversion to debt and pride in strong government finances.Under a rule known as the “debt brake” – introduced in 2009 by Angela Merkel to show Germany was committed to balancing the books after the banking crash – the federal government is required to limit annual borrowing to 0.35% of GDP. Continue reading...

Politics

German voters go to the polls on Sunday to elect a parliament that will hold power for four years

Politics

Germany’s leading political figures say Musk will face consequences for his endorsement of the country’s far-right party, Tom Watling and Alicja Hagopian write

Politics

German voters go to the polls on Sunday to elect a parliament that will hold power for four years

Politics

German voters go to the polls on Sunday to elect a parliament that will hold power for four years

Politics

German voters go to the polls on Sunday to elect a parliament that will hold power for four years

Politics

Heidi Reichinnek’s speech went viral on TikTok – and sparked a surge of support from voters who reject the mainstream’s xenophobiaI was shopping for groceries the other day in Berlin’s neglected northern outskirts, when I remembered a joke. A banker, a social welfare recipient and an asylum seeker are sitting at a table. There are 12 cookies in front of them. The banker takes 11 cookies and says to the social welfare recipient: “Watch out, the refugee wants your cookie.”It came back to me as I witnessed a young white mother completely losing it at the checkout. At first I thought it was the prices that had caused her fury, though there was no indication of that; I was probably just projecting my own anxieties about money on to the woman’s tantrum. It took me a moment to realise that she was accusing another woman, also a mother but not white, of standing in her way on purpose. She shouted that this was her country and we should all step out of her way and that soon we would see. Two...

Politics

German voters go to the polls Sunday to elect a parliament that will determine who runs the country for the next four years

Politics

Antiques Roadshow expert Kevin Zavian was left astounded by the surprising item

Culture

As EastEnders celebrates its 40th anniversary, one fan has gone back to the very beginning to see how the soaps has evolved - and was left shocked by one thing

Politics

Lord of the Rings star Bernard Hill, who died last May, left a modest sum in his will, as fans fumed that he was left out of the BAFTA In Memoriam tribute on Sunday.

Sport

The CDU is a big player in the European parliament, but its predicted win this Sunday won’t change Germany’s inward focusWhat a difference four years makes. In 2021, the world watched the German elections to see who would succeed the EU’s uncrowned “queen”. Angela Merkel had become a symbol of liberal democracy in the era marked by the first Trump administration. In Germany, two colourless figures explicitly vied to replace her. Deep down everyone knew that German leadership in Europe was coming to an end. But no one could have foreseen how steep the fall would be.Today, Germany is a country struggling with itself, increasingly sidelined in Europe and the world. The second Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022 largely destroyed Merkel’s rosy legacy, exposing her opportunistically soft approach to authoritarian leaders such as Vladimir Putin and the Hungarian prime minister, Viktor Orbán. Under Merkel’s Social Democratic party (SPD) successor, Olaf Scholz, the country has become as pal...

Politics

Trump’s election in November last year has – as promised – sent shockwaves round the world. But next week’s German election could be almost as momentousA key question for Germany, its neighbours and trade partners, is what coalition deal can be done after the election. Germany’s electoral system is meticulously proportional, so it’s very unlikely that any party will be able to govern alone. Continue reading...

Politics

For many, the focus has shifted from progress to preservation, with hard-won gains now under threat. Enrique Anarte reports

Politics

The Chase fans were left saying the same thing after spotting a surprising link between the players Dale, Leslie, Orla and Gordon during Monday's episode

Sport

How anti-immigration politics across the EU clashes with demographic realityThe rise of the far-right could speed up the population decline of Europe, projections show, creating economic shocks including slower growth and soaring costs from pensions and elderly care.Anti-immigration politics is on the rise across the EU, as shown by the gains made by far-right parties in the 2024 elections. Meanwhile, the anti-immigration Alternative für Deutschland (AfD) is polling second in the run-up to the German federal election this month. Continue reading...

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