Skip next section What you need to know
What you need to know
Here is a roundup of top stories from and about Germany on Monday, August 24, 2026:
- Lower Saxony’s state premier is meeting VW worker representatives, unions and local management
- The struggling carmaker says it is facing pressure to cut costs while protecting jobs
- Conservative Christian Democrat leaders are meeting after the summer break
- The meeting follows tensions over Merz’s July reshuffle and upcoming state elections
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Skip next section Poll shows how worried Germans are after explosive drone found at airport 08/24/2026August 24, 2026
Poll shows how worried Germans are after explosive drone found at airport
Most Germans are concerned by the discovery of an explosive-laden drone at Leipzig/Halle Airport, according to a new YouGov poll.
The survey found 63% were worried by the incident, while 22% said they were only slightly concerned and 9% said they were not concerned at all.
The drone was discovered on August 4 in a secure area of Leipzig/Halle Airport, close to Ukrainian cargo aircraft.
Authorities have suspected possible Russian involvement, but the origin of the drone has not been established.
The poll also found wider doubts about Germany’s ability to protect airports and other critical infrastructure from hostile drones.
- 50% said Germany was “rather poorly” prepared.
- 30% said it was “very poorly” prepared.
- Just 11% considered Germany well prepared.
- 9% said they did not know.
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Supporters of the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) were the least concerned, according to the poll.
Only slightly more than a third of AfD voters said the incident worried them.
Among supporters of the populist left Sahra Wagenknecht Alliance (BSW), fewer than half expressed concern.
https://p.dw.com/p/5JIicSkip next section Merz’s conservative CDU party leadership meets after summer break08/24/2026August 24, 2026
Merz’s conservative CDU party leadership meets after summer break
The leadership of Germany’s Christian Democratic Union (CDU), the ruling center-right party led by Chancellor Friedrich Merz, is meeting Monday for its first regular talks since the summer break.
The gathering comes after senior party figures sharply criticized personnel decisions made by Merz before the recess in July.
After parliamentary group leader Jens Spahn resigned, Merz initiated eight personnel changes across the government, party leadership and parliamentary group.
Particular anger within the CDU focused on the way Transport Minister Patrick Schnieder was replaced.
Monday’s meeting will offer an indication of whether those tensions have eased over the summer.
The party leadership could also discuss a Cabinet retreat scheduled for Tuesday and Wednesday as well as state elections due in September, in which the far-right Alternative for Germany is polling especially strongly in eastern states such as Saxony-Anhalt.
No press conference is planned after the meeting.
A YouGov poll published over the weekend found that 54% of Germans expect Merz to leave office before the next scheduled federal election in 2029.
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https://p.dw.com/p/5JIUQSkip next section State government visits VW plant amid jobs fears08/24/2026August 24, 2026
State government visits VW plant amid jobs fears
Lower Saxony state premier Olaf Lies is due to visit Volkswagen‘s Hanover plant for talks on the future of the struggling carmaker.
Lies, a member of the center-left Social Democratic Party, was invited by Volkswagen’s general works council and is expected to meet employee representatives, staff delegates and local plant management.
The talks are expected to focus on Volkswagen’s restructuring plans and the future of its German production sites.
Afterward, Lies is due to brief the media alongside Lower Saxony deputy state premier Julia Willie Hamburg of the Green Party, works council chief Daniela Cavallo and representatives of the IG Metall trade union.
The state of Lower Saxony holds a 20% ownership stake in the Volkswagen Group.
Lies is also planning visits to VW plants in Osnabrück and Emden, while talks with representatives of the Zwickau factory in the eastern state of Saxony are expected to take place online.
Volkswagen is trying to cut costs and improve competitiveness, raising concerns over jobs and the future of several plants.
Workers, unions and politicians are seeking assurances over tens of thousands of jobs.
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https://p.dw.com/p/5JITgSkip next section Welcome to our coverage08/24/2026August 24, 2026
Welcome to our coverage
Guten Tag from the DW newsroom in Bonn.
You join us as Lower Saxony Premier Olaf Lies is set to visit Volkswagen’s Hanover plant for talks on the future of the struggling carmaker.
He was invited by VW’s general works council. VW is trying to cut costs and improve competitiveness, but workers, unions and politicians are seeking assurances over tens of thousands of jobs.
Meanwhile, the leadership of Germany’s center-right Christian Democratic Union is meeting for its first regular talks since the summer break.
Stay with us here for these stories and more of what Germany is talking about today.
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