BEIJING — German Chancellor Olaf Scholz arrived in China on Sunday on a visit focused on the increasingly tense economic relationship between the sides and differences over Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Scholz’s first destination was the industrial hub of Chongqing, where he and his delegation of ministers and business leaders were to visit a partially … Read more
BUCHAREST, Romania — German Chancellor Olaf Scholz warned of threats posed by right-wing populists Saturday as he addressed a gathering of center-left European parties ahead of elections for the European Parliament in June. Scholz arrived in Romania’s capital Bucharest for a conference of the Party of European Socialists, part of the Socialists and Democrats group, … Read more
BERLIN — Germany’s defense minister on Thursday announced a plan to streamline and reorganize the country’s military command as part of efforts to make the armed forces of NATO’s most populous European member “war-capable.” Chancellor Olaf Scholz set in motion a big increase in military spending shortly after Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in early … Read more
BERLIN — German lawmakers on Thursday rejected a new call by the opposition for the government to send Taurus long-range cruise missiles to Ukraine, a day after Chancellor Olaf Scholz defended his refusal to supply the weapons. The main center-right opposition bloc has sought to keep up pressure on the issue and exploit divisions in … Read more
A construction site with new apartments in newly built apartment buildings. Patrick Pleul | Picture Alliance | Getty Images Germany’s housebuilding sector has gone from bad to worse in recent months. Economic data is painting a concerning picture, and industry leaders appear uneasy. “The housebuilding sector is, I would say, a little bit in a … Read more
Germany’s defense minister said on Saturday that his country’s commitment to spend 2% of GDP on defense was just the starting point and that more would likely be needed. Earlier in the day, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz insisted that the 2% spending target would be met “in the 2020s, in the 2030s and beyond.” However, … Read more
German Chancellor, Olaf Scholz arrives for the weekly federal government cabinet meeting on Oct. 11, 2023 in Berlin, Germany. Michele Tantussi | Getty Images News | Getty Images MUNICH, Germany — German Chancellor Olaf Scholz on Saturday reaffirmed Berlin’s commitment to spend 2% of the national gross domestic product (GDP) on defense, this year and … Read more
Commerzbank on Thursday reported a 55% hike in net profit for 2023, as high interest rates helped the German banking giant report its best results in 15 years. Net profit for the year beat expectations to come in at 2.2 billion euros ($2.36 billion), up from 1.4 billion euros a year earlier. For the fourth … Read more
BERLIN — Germany’s top security official said Tuesday that she aims to make it easier to trace right-wing extremists’ financing and plans to set up an “early recognition unit” to detect far-right and foreign disinformation campaigns as early as possible. Interior Minister Nancy Faeser’s proposals follow large protests against the far right in Germany in … Read more
Federal Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD, r-l), Robert Habeck (Alliance 90/The Greens), Federal Minister for Economic Affairs and Climate Protection, and Christian Lindner (FDP), Federal Minister of Finance, follow the debate at the start of the budget week. Michael Kappeler | Picture Alliance | Getty Images Good news has been sparse for the German economy. And … Read more