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Germany news: Merz government approves fuel-price discount
Germany news: Merz government approves fuel-price discount
Wesley RahnPublished 09/18/2026Published September 18, 2026last updated 09/19/2026last updated September 19, 2026Germany's coalition government is grappling with record-high fuel prices ahead of two state elections this weekend.
https://p.dw.com/p/5MpvqWhat you need to know
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Below, you can review a roundup of top stories from and about Germany from Friday, September 18, 2026:
- Germany's coalition government approves fuel price relief
- Poll: Nearly half of Germans expect Chancellor Merz to step down
- Two states gear up for elections this weekend
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Skip next section IN DEPTH: Is it possible to replace the chancellor?09/19/2026September 19, 2026IN DEPTH: Is it possible to replace the chancellor?
Chancellor Friedrich Merz's record-low approval ratings have emboldened his opponents.
DW's Jens Thurau looks at the three ways to remove a chancellor from office in Germany in this article.
https://p.dw.com/p/5MsgHSkip next section Germany receives first F-35 warplane09/18/2026September 18, 2026Germany receives first F-35 warplane
German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius attended a ceremony in the US to receive the first of nearly three dozen F-35 stealth warplanes it ordered four years ago.
Germany ordered 35 of the jets in a deal inked in 2022, with the aim of replacing Berlin's aging fleet of Tornado aircraft.
The F-35 has a shape and low-observability coating that make it very difficult to detect on radar.
The ceremony for Germany's new planes took place at manufacturer Lockheed Martin's production facility in Fort Worth, Texas.
In a statement, Pistorius hailed the plane as "the world's most advanced combat aircraft" and said the handover marked "the beginning of a new era for the German Air Force."
"It is characterized by its stealth capabilities, close integration with other platforms, and exceptionally powerful sensor technology," Pistorius added.
It all comes as US President Donald Trump has put pressure on European nations to spend more on their own defense and in the wake of Russia's war in Ukraine. Countries like Germany responding by ramping up military budgets and modernizing their armies.
https://p.dw.com/p/5MsbjSkip next section German government to provide fuel discount09/18/2026September 18, 2026German government to provide fuel discount
The German government reached an agreement to provide a fuel discount and fuel price cap for vehicles on Friday night.
The move comes as Chancellor Friedrich Merz's coalition seeks to help ease the burden of high fuel prices on motorists. The deal is the product of negotiations that took place on Sunday between the national and state governments over the fuel price crisis.
Government sources told Germany's DPA news agency that the tax on gasoline and diesel would be cut by 17 cents ($0.20) starting in October, while the fuel price cap would go into effect in January 2027.
Fuel prices in Germany have spiked due to the war in Iran, in which Tehran imposed a stranglehold on the vital Strait of Hormuz, restricting Gulf crude exports, and later by Yemen's Iran-backed Houthis targeting an alternative export route on the Red Sea.
Merz had vowed earlier this week to provide solutions for motorists in his country "soon".
Germany's conservative chancellor is under intense political pressure after the far-right Alternative for Germany party (AfD) has surged in popularity, while his center-right Christian Democratic Union (CDU) has struggled.
The fuel relief plan announcement comes just two days before key elections in the north-eastern German state of Mecklenburg-Western Pommerania and Berlin.
Rising fuel prices put pressure on German drivers
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https://p.dw.com/p/5Msb5Skip next section Wuppertal: Prosecutors see clear antisemitism signs from synagogue arsonist09/18/2026September 18, 2026Wuppertal: Prosecutors see clear antisemitism signs from synagogue arsonist
Prosecutors in Wuppertal say the suspect in an arson attack on the western German city's synagogue has made clear antisemitic comments.
The 37-year-old Afghan national is under investigation for attempted aggravated arson. He was set to appear before a judge at an arraignment hearing on Friday.
The man was caught near the synagogue on Thursday shortly after allegedly having thrown three bags of flammable liquid at a stairwell leading into the synagogue and an adjoining door and then set it alight.
Authorities searched his apartment and are still evaluating the contents of his mobile phone, prosecutors said on Friday. They also found several knives and a machete positioned to be easy to reach.
Prosecutor Wolf-Tilman Baumert said the man had a prior criminal record for threatening a female neighbor.
A staff member quickly extinguished the fire, and nobody was hurt. Police said the damage to the building was also minimal.
The Central Council of Jews in Germany condemned that attack in the build-up to the Yom Kippur religious holiday.
"Once again an attack on a synagogue has taken place at the time of Jewish high holidays," Council President Josef Schuster said. "What disturbs me most is how coolly the perpetrator in Wuppertal carried out this attack in broad daylight. There's no sign of a sense of shame or being conscious of wrongdoing."
https://p.dw.com/p/5MrYgSkip next section WATCH — Rising fuel prices put pressure on German drivers09/18/2026September 18, 2026WATCH — Rising fuel prices put pressure on German drivers
Fuel prices in Germany have risen sharply, increasing costs for motorists. Although forecasts vary, some experts warn that gasoline prices could soon approach €3 per liter ($13.50 per gallon).
Though many drivers blame filling stations for higher prices, operators say they earn only a small commission on fuel sales and rely largely on shop revenue.
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https://p.dw.com/p/5MrHoSkip next section Germany's beer capital, Bavaria, expects poor hops harvest 09/18/2026September 18, 2026Germany's beer capital, Bavaria, expects poor hops harvest
Bavaria's hop farmers are expecting a rather poor harvest in 2026.
According to initial estimates, they expect a yield of 29,244 metric tons, as reported by the Bavarian State Office for Statistics on Friday in the city of Furth.
That would be a good fifth less than in 2025 and the lowest amount in a decade.
The extreme heat waves and prolonged drought this summer are cited as the reasons.
Hops are an essential ingredient for beer, adding balance, bitterness and variety to the flavor.
The news comes as the world's largest beer festival, Oktoberfest, kicks off Saturday in Munich.
https://p.dw.com/p/5Mq3gSkip next section Poll shows almost half of Germans expect Merz gone by next year09/18/2026September 18, 2026Poll shows almost half of Germans expect Merz gone by next year
A poll released by YouGov on Friday provided another example of German Chancellor Friedrich Merz's tanking approval ratings.
According to the survey, 48% of the 1,611 adults questioned expect that Merz will no longer be chancellor by the end of 2026. Another 31% said they expected Merz to remain, while 21% did not answer.
The low approval ratings come as Merz's conservative Christian Democrat (CDU) party performed very poorly in regional elections in the eastern state of Saxony-Anhalt two weeks ago.
Having won the previous state election, the CDU got just 17% of the vote, while the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) dominated at over 44%.
Polls for the upcoming state elections in Mecklenburg Western Pomerania show the CDU coming in at 7%, which is perilously close to the 5% threshold needed to win seats in parliament. Polling currently shows the Social Democrats (SPD) neck and neck with the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD).
If these polls play out on election day, it would be the worst CDU election performance at any level since World War II.
For weeks, German media outlets have speculated over whether another election drubbing could cost Merz his job.
https://p.dw.com/p/5MqMtSkip next section Germany's government still undecided on fuel price relief 09/18/2026September 18, 2026Germany's government still undecided on fuel price relief
Germany's governing coalition is under pressure to show progress on bringing soaring gas prices under control ahead of elections this weekend in the northeastern states of Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania and Berlin.
On Friday, Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania's Social Democrat (SPD) state premier, Manuela Schwesig, told the public broadcaster ZDF that Friedrich Merz should quickly implement a price cap.
The SPD is the junior coalition partner with Chancellor Friedrich Merz's conservative bloc (CDU/CSU) at the federal level, but the parties have diverging ideas on how to address the soaring prices brought on the by the Iran war.
Despite Merz's insistence on Tuesday that gas price relief is coming quickly, the ruling coalition has yet to agree on an approach.
Germany weighs fuel relief as gasoline prices soar
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Germany's conservatives have resisted the SPD's call for price caps and a windfall profit tax in favor of a fuel tax relief scheme.
Such a scheme was enacted in the first months of the Iran war and expired in June.
What the parties are saying about fuel prices in Germany
On Thursday evening, CDU General Secretary Franziska Hoppermann told a talk show that the coalition government was aiming for gas price relief of "around 22, 23, 25 cents per liter" by the beginning of October, without sharing concrete measures on how to reach that.
Germany's SPD Finance Minister Lars Klingbeil has for months advocated a government-enforced price cap on gasoline and diesel, along with new taxes on heavy oil company profits.
"We are right now looking for solutions," said Klingbeil on Friday at an EU finance minister meeting in Dublin, Ireland.
"I want a clear, quick signal at the gas pumps right now," said Klingbeil, who is also vice chancellor. "I'm confident that we'll be able to get it done very quickly."
Klingbeil added he expects the European Commission to prepare proposals for a windfall profit tax by the next meeting of EU finance ministers in October.
Prices for gasoline and diesel have broken record highs several times over the past week. On Thursday, the ADAC motoring club reported diesel at a record-breaking €2.47 per liter ($10.72 per gallon) on average, and the lowest-cost E-10 gasoline at over €2.30.
Why Iran fuel crisis hits different in Europe than the US
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https://p.dw.com/p/5MpvrSkip next section Welcome to our coverage09/18/2026September 18, 2026Welcome to our coverage
Guten Tag from Bonn as we kick off the weekend with everything Germany is talking about today.
Soaring gasoline and diesel prices are dominating political discussion this week, with Germany's ruling coalition still divided on how to best provide price relief.
The debate comes ahead of two key state elections on Sunday. Voters are heading to the polls in the city-state Berlin and in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania (MWP) in the former East Germany.
Both races are set to be close-run affairs. The Left Party and Chancellor Friedrich Merz's conservative Christian Democrats are battling it out in Berlin, while the center-left Social Democrats and the far-right AfD are neck and neck in MWP.
This Friday sees the final day of campaigning.
Join us as we cover these stories and more.
German Chancellor Merz reels as far-right AfD makes gains
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