Skip next section What you need to know
What you need to know
- Algeria says it has taken charge of a German citizen kidnapped in Niger some two weeks ago
- Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt says Germany is to expand drone security research
- Low water levels in the Rhine and other rivers are posing a growing risk for Germany, an expert says
- Protesters in eastern Germany have called for new elections, while demonstrators in Berlin have demanded a ban on far-right parties
Here is a roundup of the stories from and about Germany that are hitting the headlines on the weekend of August 8-9, 2026:
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Skip next section Trucks underway in several states as Sunday motorway ban lifted08/09/2026August 9, 2026
Trucks underway in several states as Sunday motorway ban lifted
Several states have lifted a rule banning most trucks from using motorways on Sundays and public holidays in view of the low river water levels currently hampering cargo vessels.
Reporters from the DPA news agency said a number of trucks have already been sighted on motorways in the western state of North Rhine-Westphalia (NRW).
The NRW transport minister, Oliver Krischer, said that “this exceptional regulation allows us to ensure that delivery chains are maintained and supply shortages are avoided.”
Industrial associations have welcomed the lifting of the truck ban.
But one of Germany’s main unions, Verdi, has criticized the move.
“This measure comes at the cost of employees in the transport and logistics branch and calls into question the legal protection of Sundays and public holidays as days of rest and recreation,” said Uwe Köpke, who heads the union’s postal services, freight forwarding and logistics department.
Lower Saxony, Rhineland-Palatinate and Saarland are so far the only other states to have lifted the ban as one of the measures announced by Transport Minister Steffen Bilger last week to mitigate the economic effect of the cargo shipping shortfalls.
In NRW and Lower Saxony, the suspension of the ban is to run initially until August 31, and in Rhineland-Palatinate and Saarland until September 30 at the latest.
In NRW, all trucks will also be able to use the motorways on Saturdays during the day in the current summer holidays as an exemption to an existing regulation.
https://p.dw.com/p/5IVzhSkip next section Germany’s trade deficit with China grows in first half08/09/2026August 9, 2026
Germany’s trade deficit with China grows in first half
New preliminary data released on Sunday has shown that German exports to China fell more than 12% year-on-year between January to June, while German imports from China rose 8.9%.
That raises last year’s trade deficit of €40 billion ($46.2 billion) for the same period to some €55 billion.
The data from the state-run agency Germany Trade & Invest (GTAI) reflects the decreasing reliance by Chinese firms on European imports.
They show that although China remains Germany’s top trading partner, the Asian powerhouse is now only the ninth-biggest market for German goods, with far smaller economies like Austria and Switzerland buying more from Germany in 2026.
As recently as 2021, China was Germany’s second-biggest export market.
The US remains Germany’s single-biggest foreign market, despite a drop in German exports there amid protectionist tariffs introduced under President Donald Trump.
https://p.dw.com/p/5IVehSkip next section Rheinmetall’s Papperger says he’s not ‘chickening out’ amid threats08/09/2026August 9, 2026
Rheinmetall’s Papperger says he’s not ‘chickening out’ amid threats
The CEO of arms giant Rheinmetall, Armin Papperger, has said he will not be intimidated despite the many threats that have been made to his safety.
“These jobs must be done, and anyone that can’t take the pressure doesn’t belong in this job,” he told the DPA news agency, saying “chickening out” was no option in his field.
Pappberger, 63, who is believed to be a possible target of Russian murder plots, is under constant police protection at a level similar to that given to Chancellor Friedrich Merz.
Rheinmetall is supplying large quantities of weapons to Ukraine amid the Russian invasion, potentially putting the company in Moscow’s crosshairs.
Germany’s domestic intelligence services recently called on employees in the defense sector to be very vigilant amid the threat of espionage and sabotage by Russian state agencies.
https://p.dw.com/p/5IVZ4Skip next section Dobrindt announces stepped-up drone security research08/09/2026August 9, 2026
Dobrindt announces stepped-up drone security research
Germany is establishing a new drone security research facility as it seeks to counter a growing threat from UAVs that are possibly under foreign control, Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt has told Sunday’s edition of the Bild tabloid.
“The arms race in drone technology requires dedicated research units to keep pace,” he said.
He said the new center, to be established on August 18 at a German Aerospace Center (DLR) test airport in the eastern state of Saxony-Anhalt, would develop and test technologies to protect against drones.
His remarks come after a number of incidents involving drones in the past week raised security concerns.
You can read more on Dobrindt’s statements on security here.
https://p.dw.com/p/5IVZ3Skip next section Welcome back08/09/2026August 9, 2026
Welcome back
Timothy Jones | Rana Taha Editor
The DW newsroom in Bonn says a warm guten Morgen to its readers as we resume our coverage of all things German on Sunday.
Concerns about national security amid a myriad of threats are featuring largely in today’s headlines, with, for example, the interior minister warning of hybrid warfare after several drone incidents.
Some of those threats even target particular people, as the CEO of arms giant Rheinmetall, Armin Papperger, is experiencing.
And nature itself is also posing a security challenge, with the lack of water in the Rhine and other rivers having a widening impact on the economy and beyond.
Read on for more on these and other stories.
https://p.dw.com/p/5IVUtSkip next section We are pausing our coverage 08/08/2026August 8, 2026
We are pausing our coverage
We are pausing our coverage as the clock is about to strike midnight here in Bonn. Join us again on Sunday, when we will update this blog with the latest news from Germany.
https://p.dw.com/p/5IVAQSkip next section WATCH: CDU’s Saxony-Anhalt candidate warns against AfD taking power 08/08/2026August 8, 2026
WATCH: CDU’s Saxony-Anhalt candidate warns against AfD taking power
Sven Schulze, state premier and the CDU’s candidate in the upcoming regional election in Saxony-Anhalt has slammed the AfD for its xenophobia, and underscored his state’s reliance on exports and foreign workers.
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https://p.dw.com/p/5IV6sSkip next section WATCH: Why low Rhine water levels are a growing risk for Germany08/08/2026August 8, 2026
WATCH: Why low Rhine water levels are a growing risk for Germany
Germany’s most important river is running low unusually early in the year.
Ships are still moving on the Rhine, but falling water levels are forcing many to carry lighter loads. Professor Kerstin Stahl, a hydrologist at the University of Freiburg, explains what is driving the drought and why the consequences reach far beyond shipping.
https://p.dw.com/p/5IUvSSkip next section Thousands call for Merz resignation, new elections at protest in eastern Germany08/08/2026August 8, 2026
Thousands call for Merz resignation, new elections at protest in eastern Germany
Some 10,000 people protested in the eastern German city of Plauen to call for Chancellor Friedrich Merz‘s resignation and for new elections to be held immediately.
While the “Unity for Germany” protest was officially independent of political parties, a local pro-democracy group warned that some of the rally’s organizers are right-wing extremists.
“The event is being promoted by relevant far-right channels; on Facebook, the comments on the demonstration contain hateful remarks, and the calls to action spread antisemitic and ethno-nationalist narratives,” the Alliance for Democracy, Tolerance and Civil Courage said.
Apart from the government’s resignation and new elections, the protesters’ 11 demands also include:
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The immediate deportation of ‘all convicted, criminal and illegal migrants’
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Lower energy prices
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A cheaper nationwide monthly travel pass, for €29 ($33.50)
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Reform to public service broadcasting
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Scrapping the carbon dioxide tax
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Introducing a direct democracy model like in Switzerland
The protesters also chanted “We are the people,” the slogan that was used at pro-democracy rallies during the peaceful revolution of 1989 in East Germany that preceded the end of the former German Democratic Republic.
Many German national flags, as well as banners of the historical Kingdom of Saxony — often used by the far-right Free Saxons party — were seen at the rally, as were blue peace flags with white doves, the German news agency dpa reported.
https://p.dw.com/p/5IUzeSkip next section Demonstrations in Germany call for ban on far-right parties08/08/2026August 8, 2026
Demonstrations in Germany call for ban on far-right parties
Around 800 people demonstrated in Berlin, calling for the Federal Constitutional Court to review political parties suspected of right-wing extremism.
Eleven such demonstrations were planned across Germany on Saturday. The “Prüf,” which translates to “check” or “examine,” initiative, founded by activist Nico Semsrott, is behind the rallies.
Citing a legal opinion published in late June by the Society for Civil Rights that declared the Alternative for Germany (AfD) party unconstitutional, speakers called for a corresponding review by the Federal Constitutional Court in Karlsruhe.
Many of the demonstrators’ posters bore the slogan, “Examine today — protect tomorrow.”
However, the Bundestag, the Bundesrat, or the federal government must file a motion to ban the party in order to initiate such a review.
In early May 2025, the Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution classified the AfD as a “confirmed far-right extremist movement,” but suspended the designation after a legal challenge.
In February, a Cologne court said the agency can’t use the designation while the court evaluates the party’s lawsuit.
The AfD vehemently rejects accusations of extremism.
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https://p.dw.com/p/5IUlhSkip next section German tour bus overturns in Norway, injuring several passengers08/08/2026August 8, 2026
German tour bus overturns in Norway, injuring several passengers
Several people were injured after a German tour bus overturned in Norway, Norwegian public broadcaster NRK reported, citing police sources.
According to the report, some 34 German tourists were on board.
Several passengers sustained minor injuries in the incident, while four were taken to hospital.
The bus was traveling to the Trondelag region of central Norway.
The bus reportedly overturned on a bend of the E6 highway and ended up lying on its side in the grass beside the road.
The cause of the accident was initially unclear.
According to NRK, no other vehicle was involved.
https://p.dw.com/p/5IUlkSkip next section European team ends 100-day ‘Mars’ sojourn in Cologne08/08/2026August 8, 2026
European team ends 100-day ‘Mars’ sojourn in Cologne
Six men and women from six different countries on Friday ended their 100-day stay in cramped, artificially lit isolation as part of a study to prepare future space missions to the moon, Mars and beyond.
The participants, from Germany, France, Italy, the Netherlands, Poland and Portugal, are now able to return to their daily lives — following a recovery phase — after leaving the simulation facility at the German Aerospace Centre (DLR) in the western city of Cologne.
The goal of the SOLIS100 study was conducted on behalf of the European Space Agency (ESA) and aimed to investigate the effects of long-duration space missions on health and performance.
The participants had to live from non-perishable foodstuffs and were not allowed personal contact with family or friends.
Every day, they carried out scientific work, medical data collection, a strict exercise program and station maintenance.
https://p.dw.com/p/5IUYmSkip next section Culture Minister Weimer calls for Infantino’s resignation08/08/2026August 8, 2026
Culture Minister Weimer calls for Infantino’s resignation
Wolfram Weimer, the commissioner for culture and media, has become the first member of the federal government to call for FIFA President Gianni Infantino to step down.
“Infantino has seriously damaged world football with his planned sell-off of the World Cup,” he told the German DPA news agency on Saturday.
“He has lost the trust of the European football community and should not stand for re-election next year,” he said.
Weimer called on the German Football Federation (DFB) to show “active resistance” against Infantino.
“With its 24,000 clubs and eight million members, the DFB is the largest sports federation in the world (by individual registered members). Its voice carries weight,” he said.
Infantino has faced a storm of criticism since he unveiled plans last week to sell World Cup rights to private investors for billions.
He withdrew the proposal after major protests, including a threat by UEFA to boycott the World Cup.
https://p.dw.com/p/5IUUASkip next section Two drones spotted above military base after Leipzig Airport incident08/08/2026August 8, 2026
Two drones spotted above military base after Leipzig Airport incident
Two drones were sighted flying late on Thursday above a military base in Mechernich in western Germany, near the Belgian border, authorities said on Saturday.
A German armed forces spokesperson said the drones were sighted at around 10 p.m. (2000 GMT) over the Bundeswehr base, which media say hosts personnel responsible for the maintenance of US Patriot air defense systems.
Among other things, US Patriot systems play a key role in defending Ukraine against Russian aerial attacks.
The sighting in Mechernich comes just two days after a drone carrying explosives was found near a runway at Leipzig/Halle Airport, with media saying it was discovered near several Ukrainian cargo planes.
A number of sightings of drones at sensitive sites in Germany in recent times has raised concerns about the penetration of NATO airspace by the unmanned aircraft and the possibility of hostile foreign involvement.
German government officials have not blamed any foreign countries publicly for the Leipzig incident, but some lawmakers have accused Russia of being behind it.
The Russian Embassy in Berlin on Friday dismissed the Leipzig event as a “fabricated provocation” and said Russia was once more being accused of hostile actions without evidence.
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https://p.dw.com/p/5IURxSkip next section Far-right AfD set to kick off election campaign in eastern state08/08/2026August 8, 2026
Far-right AfD set to kick off election campaign in eastern state
The far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party is to hold an event in the afternoon as it starts its election campaign in the eastern state of Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania.
The event will be led by the party’s candidate to become state premier, Leif-Erik Holm, its top candidate Enrico Schult and its general secretary, Dario Seifert.
The AfD chairman from the state of Saxony, Jörg Urban, will be a guest at the event in the city of Stralsund.
The anti-immigration party is currently polling at around 36% in pre-election surveys in the state, making it the strongest force.
Several other state chapters of the party have been designated as “confirmed right-wing extremist” by Germany’s domestic intelligence agency, but they do not include the one in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania.
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