Skip next section What you need to know
What you need to know
- Freidrich Merz says Jens Spahn’s resignation “could be an opportunity” to reshuffle his Cabinet and rotate personnel
- Senior conservative politicians are set to meet to start discussing how to replace Spahn on Monday
- German Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt has said there is an increased security threat, with attacks possible “at any time”
- Dobrindt cited an increased volume of intelligence reports, with possible targets including infrastructure, individuals and institutions
- A Deutsche Bahn railway security guard has been critically injured after falling from a moving train during a confrontation with a passenger
- The incident happened during a ticket inspection and investigators are still trying to determine how the train door opened
Here is a roundup of of the latest headlines from Germany on Saturday, July 18 and Sunday, July 19:
Skip next section Klopp-Mintzlaff talks in US eagerly awaited by Germany fans07/19/2026July 19, 2026
Klopp-Mintzlaff talks in US eagerly awaited by Germany fans
It may be World Cup final night, but disappointed Germany fans also have their eyes peeled for news on the next national team coach.
Decorated former Mainz, Dortmund and Liverpool coach Jürgen Klopp is seen as the front-runner and the German football association or DFB’s target to replace Julian Nagelsmann.
Klopp is in the US working with the MagentaTV broadcaster during the World Cup.
And on Sunday, the managing director of Klopp’s primary employer, Oliver Mintzlaff of Red Bull, is also expected in the New York area for the big game.
Klopp and Mintzlaff are expected to be meeting, seeking a resolution to Klopp’s current contractual status as Red Bull’s “Head of Global Soccer.”
German media appear to have jumped the gun slightly on Sunday, with both Sky and Bild am Sonntag reporting that an agreement had been reached paving the way for Klopp to join the Germany setup.
But later in the day, Klopp’s advisor Marc Kosicke told the SID sports news agency that no such deal had yet been struck.
The DFB, meanwhile, said it was not commenting on ongoing negotiations until they were completed.
https://p.dw.com/p/5HOJBSkip next section A45 Autobahn bridge in Sauerland demolished at second attempt07/19/2026July 19, 2026
A45 Autobahn bridge in Sauerland demolished at second attempt
Saim Dušan Inayatullah Editor
It took two blasts to get the job done, but one half the A45 highway bridge over the valley in Ottfingen in Sauerland has been demolished.
The operation began first thing on Sunday morning and was only completed around six hours later, when preparations were made to demolish 12 stilts and a part of the bridge platform that did not collapse in the first controlled explosion.
“Now the entire half of the construction is lying precisely where it’s meant to,” demolitions master Stefan Grässle said after the secondary blast.
People keen to watch the demolition could only do so from beyond a 300-meter (roughly 1,000-foot) security cordon.
Traffic was diverted off the A45 Autobahn amid Sunday’s operation.
The demolished 235-meter bridge, opened in 1971, is one of a pair across the valley, typically with one for traffic in each direction. Its deteriorating condition made demolition necessary.
The other bridge will remain standing, with two lanes of traffic traversing it in each direction, while a replacement is built. Currently it’s scheduled for completion by 2030.
A host of highway bridges in the populous western state of North Rhine-Westphalia — which is also a trunk route for pan-European freight traffic — are in poor condition and need of renovation.
This issue has come to the fore in DW’s neighborhood in Bonn of late, where the main highway bridge over the Rhine river was found to be damaged on June 3 and now faces a complete closure that looks set to last at least two years, severely impacting traffic.
https://p.dw.com/p/5HOJ0Skip next section Germany seeing a ‘crisis of trust in democracy’ — Merz07/19/2026July 19, 2026
Germany seeing a ‘crisis of trust in democracy’ — Merz
Chancellor Friedrich Merz said on Sunday that Germany is going through a “crisis of trust in democracy,” citing the tone of debate in parliament, the Bundestag.
Merz told broadcaster ZDF it was “not just the task of a government but also the task of all democratic parties” to remedy the problem, saying the atmosphere in parliament was “not an advertisement for democracy.”
The chancellor said he “went home in a very concerned state” after the last session before the summer break.
“You can be of a different opinion on an issue,” he said. “And I was also twice leader of the opposition, and didn’t give either of the governments any quarter.”
But the current “personal denigration” by almost all parties was damaging democracy, he said.
“We are used to it from the AfD and now from the Left Party too, but also now from the Greens,” he said. “It was all the same sound.”
During the last plenary session before the summer, parliamentarians passed a health care reform that opposition parties had partly tried to stop in court.
A controversial new law setting out rules for heating systems was also passed.
https://p.dw.com/p/5HO2nSkip next section Cabinet reshuffle possible after Spahn resignation — Merz07/19/2026July 19, 2026
Cabinet reshuffle possible after Spahn resignation — Merz
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said on Sunday that he would nominate a proposed successor for Jens Spahn as parliamentary leader of his conservative bloc “relatively soon” after consulting with Christian Social Union (CSU) leader Markus Söder.
“The parliamentary party is, if necessary, functional. We will talk about this in party committees over the next few days and we will make a proposal relatively soon, but we are not pressed for time now,” he told public-service broadcaster ZDF.
He did not rule out reshuffling the Cabinet in the process.
“It could be an opportunity,” he said, when asked whether politicians from the government could take on the job of parliamentary leader.
The question came amid speculation as to possible replacements for Spahn, who resigned from the position on Saturday amid controversy of his use of surrogacy to have a child.
Both Merz and Spahn are members of the Christian Democratic Union (CDU), which explicitly rejects surrogacy.
Among the names that media have mentioned as possibilities are chancellery head Thorsten Frei, Health Minister Nina Warken (both CDU) and Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt (CSU).
Merz said that all parliamentary parties were now on their summer break and that there would be no parliamentary sessions until September.
https://p.dw.com/p/5HNppSkip next section Solar industry threatened by Economy Ministry plans — association07/19/2026July 19, 2026
Solar industry threatened by Economy Ministry plans — association
Plans by the Economy Ministry to cut subsidies for small solar systems from 2027 could hit investments and put thousands of jobs at risk, the German Solar Association (BSW) has warned.
Under plans published on Friday evening for a new version of the Renewable Energy Act (EEG) and the Grid Package, the feed-in tariffs from solar systems of up to 25 kilowatts installed capacity would be guaranteed for only up to 36 months instead of a current 20 years.
After this, operators of such systems would have to switch to direct marketing, selling their electricity on power exchanges via a service provider, where prices fluctuate and are not predictable.
Economy Minister Katharina Reiche of Chancellor Friedrich Merz’s Christian Democrats (CDU) has said the subsidies are no longer necessary as homeowners can get their return on investment purely through self-consumption of the energy they produce.
BSW chief executive Carsten Körnig said the plans were “completely out of date.”
“They keep private households dependent on fossil energy for longer and put tens of thousands of jobs in the solar industry at risk,” he said.
The German Renewable Energy Federation (BEE) also warned about the plans, with President Ursula Heinen-Esser saying, “Instead of reliable investment conditions, the federal government is creating new uncertainty.”
https://p.dw.com/p/5HNhqSkip next section Court rejects arrest warrant for suspect in violent train incident07/19/2026July 19, 2026
Court rejects arrest warrant for suspect in violent train incident
A district court has rejected a prosecutor’s arrest warrant for a suspect in a violent clash on a train that left a security guard critically injured, meaning that the man was set free on Saturday evening.
The 36-year-old suspect, who is known to the criminal justice system for violent offenses and was free on probation, is alleged to have become involved in a confrontation that led to the 26-year-old guard falling from a moving train.
It was not immediately clear why the arrest warrant application, based on suspicion of grievous bodily harm, was rejected.
A spokesman for the public prosecutor’s office said the security officer reportedly fell against the train door during a scuffle with a passenger, who was reportedly drunk, during a ticket inspection, causing the door to tear from its hinges,
The train from Offenburg to Karlsruhe in southwestern Germany was traveling at 120 kmh/75 mph when the guard fell through the open door, he said.
In February, a train conductor died of injuries sustained in a confrontation with a passenger during a ticket inspection in a case that shocked the country.
https://p.dw.com/p/5HNdkSkip next section IN DEPTH: CDU’s Jen Spahn steps down amid surrogacy controversy07/19/2026July 19, 2026
IN DEPTH: CDU’s Jen Spahn steps down amid surrogacy controversy
The parliamentary leader of Chancellor Friedrich Merz‘s Christian Democrats (CDU), Jens Spahn, has resigned after he and his husband decided to have a child via surrogacy despite Spahn previously voting on party lines to oppose the practice.
Spahn has anyway long been at the focus of several controversies, as you can read in our article: Germany: CDU’s Jens Spahn resigns amid surrogacy controversy
https://p.dw.com/p/5HNWvSkip next section Tesla looks to step up production in Germany07/19/2026July 19, 2026
Tesla looks to step up production in Germany
Tesla’s German manufacturing unit plans to increase production at its factory in Grünheide near Berlin, according to an annual company report for 2025.
The report said recovering demand and improving profits were behind the plans to significantly increase production volume.
However, Tesla said the expansion still depended on economic conditions, warning that the outlook could be affected by geopolitical factions and potential supply chain disruptions.
Earlier this year, Tesla said it wanted to increase output at the Grünheide plant — its only European production site — to as many as 7,500 vehicles a week, or about 375,000 a year, as well as expanding battery cell production.
The factory opened in March 2022 and currently produces the Model Y. At the end of 2025, it employed about 11,000 people including temporary workers, the report said.
In 2025, vehicle production fell to about 202,000 units from around 211,000 the previous year, a drop that the company said was due mainly to a model changeover and the introduction of new variants.
However, the German unit reported a net profit of €77.1 million ($88.2 million) for 2025, up by about €20 million from the previous year,
https://p.dw.com/p/5HNZjSkip next section Welcome back to our coverage07/19/2026July 19, 2026
Welcome back to our coverage
Timothy Jones | Richard Connor Editor
The DW newsroom in Bonn wishes all users guten Tag as we continue to keep you up to date with happenings in Germany.
If you have not yet caught up with the latest major story from German politics — the resignation of CDU parliamentary group leader Jens Spahn — you have your chance here.
We will also be looking at automotive giant Tesla’s plans to step up its production volume in Germany and follow up on an incident on a train that left a security guard critically injured.
Stay with us for these stories and more.
https://p.dw.com/p/5HNWwSkip next section We’re pausing our coverage07/19/2026July 19, 2026
We’re pausing our coverage
We are pausing this weekend’s coverage of news coming out of Germany. We’ll be back early Sunday morning.
https://p.dw.com/p/5HNCPSkip next section Wildfire spreads across national park 07/18/2026July 18, 2026
Wildfire spreads across national park
Wesley Dockery Editor
A wildfire has spread across around 388 hectares (nearly 1,000 acres) of Müritz National Park in northeastern Germany as dry and windy conditions hamper efforts to contain the blaze.
Around 370 firefighters, police officers, forestry workers and soldiers are said to now be involved in the operation, a spokesperson for the district said.
The fire has continued to expand because no rain has fallen, while westerly winds were fanning the flames.
Officials expect the blaze could spread further east and southeast over the weekend if the wind persists.
The fire was first reported on Monday and has prompted the repeated evacuation of nearby villages.
Efforts to tackle the blaze are particularly difficult because part of the affected area was once used as a military training ground and may contain unexploded ammunition.
German military helicopters are due to resume supporting the operation by the afternoon, provided thunderstorms do not prevent them from flying.
Fire crews are concentrating on the eastern section of the blaze because the area is not believed to be littered with ammunition and can therefore be entered safely.
Emergency personnel are being rotated regularly, while forestry workers are helping to keep access routes clear.
Visitors have been urged to continue avoiding the wider area.
https://p.dw.com/p/5HMQ3Skip next section WATCH: Why Germany struggles to recruit more women soldiers07/18/2026July 18, 2026
WATCH: Why Germany struggles to recruit more women soldiers
Marie Joslyn
As Germany expands its military to meet NATO commitments, attracting more women remains a challenge. Concerns range from military culture to family life and representation.
To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video
https://p.dw.com/p/5HMWvSkip next section Lahm says German football has fallen behind07/18/2026July 18, 2026
Lahm says German football has fallen behind
Germany has spent a decade falling behind international football because it has failed to adapt to modern developments, former World Cup-winning captain Philipp Lahm has said.
“We have been playing catch-up for 10 years because we are not adapting to current developments and are instead pursuing our own paths, most recently with the return of man-marking in the Bundesliga,” Lahm wrote in a guest article for the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung.
“If we continue doing that, we will continue to fail.”
The former Bayern Munich defender criticized Germany’s approach to coaching and talent development, as well as a lack of the continuity he said defines successful teams.
Lahm also accused former Germany coach Julian Nagelsmann of experimenting too often with formations and player positions.
“Players are frequently used in a wide variety of, and often incorrect, positions, and the system is changed too often,” he wrote.
“There are too many experiments.”
https://p.dw.com/p/5HMKMSkip next section High-speed train hits flock of sheep07/18/2026July 18, 2026
High-speed train hits flock of sheep
Police say an intercity high-speed train struck a flock of sheep on the railway line between the cities of Offenbach and Hanau in the central German state of Hesse.
The driver carried out an emergency stop after the train hit the animals on Friday, a federal police spokesperson said.
Between 10 and 15 sheep were killed in the collision.
Around 120 passengers were on board the train, but none were injured.
Police are investigating how the flock, which is believed to have escaped, reached the tracks.
Emergency workers were meanwhile removing the dead animals from the railway line.
https://p.dw.com/p/5HLx4Skip next section Ten injured in A5 crash near French border07/18/2026July 18, 2026
Ten injured in A5 crash near French border
Ten people have been injured in a collision involving two cars and a coach on the rain-soaked A5 motorway near Germany’s border with France.
Police said a car probably lost control because of aquaplaning on Friday evening near the town of Appenweier about 20 kilometers (about 12.5 miles) northeast of the eastern French city of Strasbourg.
The vehicle struck another car, the guardrail and then the coach.
Ten of the coach’s 12 passengers suffered minor injuries, with five taken to hospital for treatment. Both car drivers were unhurt.
Traffic was temporarily diverted along the motorway’s emergency lane, causing a tailback stretching several kilometers.
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