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What you need to know
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German authorities have carried out nationwide raids over suspected improper perks linked to Euro 2024
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Sites searched included the German Football Association headquarters and city halls in several former host cities
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A court in Munich is examining whether personal border checks between Germany and Austria are lawful
- Chancellor Friedrich Merz is hosting a coalition committee, with a “major package” of reforms on the agenda.
Read on below roundup of the latest headlines from Germany on July 1, 2026.
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Skip next section Raids over suspected perks linked to football host cities07/01/2026July 1, 2026
Raids over suspected perks linked to football host cities
German authorities have carried out nationwide raids over suspected improper perks linked to Euro 2024, police have said in a statement.
More than 150 officers from the western state of North Rhine-Westphalia’s Criminal Police Office searched the headquarters of the German Football Association (DFB) as well as city halls in multiple host cities.
Investigators are probing whether officials received unauthorized benefits, including match tickets, travel and hotel stays, potentially amounting to bribery.
The case focuses on two suspects, a 66-year-old German and a 46-year-old French national, linked to the tournament’s organizing body, Euro 2024 GmbH.
Authorities are examining whether host city officials were offered exclusive access to tickets, including for high-profile matches such as the Spain-France semi-final in Munich.
Searches were carried out in cities including Gelsenkirchen, Dortmund, Düsseldorf, Cologne, Hamburg, Berlin, Frankfurt, Stuttgart and Munich, as well as at several companies.
Interior Minister Herbert Reul said: “A football ticket is not part of a salary. Anyone in public service who holds out their hand can expect a visit from us.”
https://p.dw.com/p/5GMWcSkip next section German coalition meets for key pre-summer reform talks07/01/2026July 1, 2026
German coalition meets for key pre-summer reform talks
Leaders of Germany’s ruling coalition are gathering today for a key meeting to push forward major reforms ahead of their summer vacations.
Center-right Christian Democrat (CDU) Chancellor Friedrich Merz is hosting the coalition committee at the chancellery, with a “major package” of measures on the agenda.
Talks are expected to focus on income tax reform, pensions, labor market flexibility and cutting bureaucracy, with the aim of agreeing concrete steps or at least a timeline.
Income tax reform is considered among the biggest hurdles. The coalition aims to provide tax relief, primarily for low and middle income, from the start of next year. The crucial question is how to fund the measures.
Participants include Finance Minister Lars Klingbeil, Labour Minister Bärbel Bas, both from the center-left Social Democrats. The leader of the Christian Social Union, the CDU’s sister party in Bavaria, Markus Söder, is also set to attend.
Given the scope of issues, the meeting could extend beyond a single day.
https://p.dw.com/p/5GM7pSkip next section Court to rule on legality of Germany-Austria border checks07/01/2026July 1, 2026
Court to rule on legality of Germany-Austria border checks
A court in the Bavarian capital, Munich, is examining whether personal border checks between Germany and Austria are unlawful.
The case was brought by a commuter who regularly travels to Innsbruck and was questioned by federal police on a train in June last year.
After refusing to show identification documents, his bag was searched. He is now seeking a ruling that the check was illegal.
The plaintiff argues the measures breach European Union law, saying systematic checks violate the Schengen Agreement, which abolished internal border controls.
With the Schengen area, countries can temporarily reintroduce checks if there is a serious threat to public order or internal security. Berlin has repeatedly extended these checks.
https://p.dw.com/p/5GMCoSkip next section Welcome to our coverage07/01/2026July 1, 2026
Welcome to our coverage
Guten Tag from DW’s newsroom in Bonn.
You join us as a court in Munich is examining whether personal border checks between Germany and Austria are unlawful.
The case was brought by a commuter from the Bavarian capital who regularly travels across the border.
In Berlin, Germany’s coalition leaders are meeting at the chancellery today for one last big reform push before the summer break.
Chancellor Friedrich Merz wants movement on tax cuts, pensions, labor rules and red tape — but the hardest question is still how to pay for it all.
Stay with us here for these stories and more of what Germany is talking about.
https://p.dw.com/p/5GMDKShow more posts
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