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Germany news: Merz moots Cabinet reshuffle after Spahn exit
Germany news: Merz moots Cabinet reshuffle after Spahn exit
Mark Hallam | Timothy Jones | Richard Connor with AFP, AP, dpa, Reuters, KNA, epd, SIDPublished 07/18/2026Published July 18, 2026last updated 07/20/2026last updated July 20, 2026Chancellor Merz has said he might use the forced resignation of a senior ally as a chance to reshuffle his Cabinet. Meanwhile, a train security guard was critically injured in a clash with a passenger.
https://p.dw.com/p/5HLWzWhat you need to know
- Friedrich 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
- Jürgen Klopp says he's reached a deal with Red Bull that could lead to his being Germany's next national team coach
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Here is a roundup of of the latest headlines from Germany on Saturday, July 18 and Sunday, July 19:
Skip next section Bavaria's Markus Söder reportedly pelted with tomato at local event07/20/2026July 20, 2026Bavaria's Markus Söder reportedly pelted with tomato at local event
Bavaria's state premier, Markus Söder, visited celebrations in Bernau am Chiemsee on Sunday, praising rural areas as the "soul of Bavaria."
Söder said in a post online that he had always enjoyed visiting the area, and pledged to develop "tourism, natural protection and the needs of locals in a balanced manner in future."
The conservative CSU leader made no mention, however, of reports on newspaper Bild's website and later on German news agency DPA of a man jumping out a bush and throwing a tomato at him amid the visit.
Bild cited eyewitnesses and a video of the incident. It said that the presumed attacker was swiftly apprehended and that Söder was unhurt.
Bernau am Chiemsee is a small municipality of around 7,000 people on the Chiemsee lake, southeast of Munich and near the Austrian border.
https://p.dw.com/p/5HOxpSkip next section Parookaville dance music festival wraps up in Weeze07/20/2026July 20, 2026Parookaville dance music festival wraps up in Weeze
Wesley Dockery EditorGermany's largest electronic music festival Parookaville concluded on Sunday night on the Dutch border in Weeze.
After three days of music performances and five days of camping on site, organizers and police both issued positive initial appraisals.
A total of roughly 225,000 people attended across the entire event.
Fesitval co-founder Bernd Dicks, who got a taste for the scene during his years reporting from similar events, said, "We're not just the biggest festival in North Rhine-Westphalia and one of the biggest in Germany — we're also one of the most peaceful."
He said that figures for criminality and misbehavior were "absolutely below average."
Police in nearby Kleve were also largely positive, saying there had been assaults, sexual harassment cases and theft, "but nothing too serious, thank God."
Police spokesman Stefan Sparberg told regional public broadcaster WDR that it was a very pleasant event for law enforcement.
He said there had also been drug offenses, but said this was "not our main issue at this event." Since the partial legalization of cannabis in Germany in 2024, he said, "people smoke dope here, that's generally understood, the event's over-18s only."
The local supermarket in Weeze, a small town of just over 12,000 people, reported a busy week. By late Saturday, it had sold 12,500 turkey pastries, 15,400 bananas, 222,000 beers, 40,000 packs of ice cubes and 35,400 frozen pizzas.
NRW's State Premier Hendrik Wüst also visited on Friday, sporting shades and some grey-blue Adidas summer shoes, touring the festival with Bernd Dicks.
German pundit Christoph Kramer slams pitch quality for World Cup final
German World Cup winner turned pundit for the ZDF public broadcaster Christoph Kramer was in typically pithy form on seeing the pitch for the final in Rutherford, New Jersey this evening.
Kramer was less than complimentary of the groundskeeping staff, who have been battling searing July temperatures and frequent use of the MetLife Stadium pitch amid the tournament.
"It's like a skittles alley with a carpet laid over it. For Spain in particular, it's a different kind of football match," Kramer said, insinuating that Spain's possession-based passing game could be compromised by the imperfect playing surface.
Kramer is no stranger to World Cup finals involving Argentina, but famously his memory of his personal experience is not what it should be.
The midfielder suffered a concussion in Germany's win after extra time against Messi's Argentina 12 years ago, later saying he had no recollection of the biggest match of his life.
https://p.dw.com/p/5HOa5Skip next section Klopp says he's reached a 'generous' deal with Red Bull07/19/2026July 19, 2026Klopp says he's reached a 'generous' deal with Red Bull
Jürgen Klopp has said that a key hurdle to him becoming the Geman national team's next coach has been cleared.
In the build-up to the World Cup final on MagentaTV, where he has been appearing as a pundit, Klopp gave an update on his talks with the managing director of Red Bull, Oliver Mintzlaff, on the sidelines of the final in the New York area.
"I have reached an agreement with Red Bull — a generous arrangement," Klopp said.
Klopp is currently Red Bull's "Head of Global Soccer" and contracted until 2029, a post he took up after leaving Liverpool and saying he would take a timeout from top-level coaching.
Asked about a final agreement with Germany's football association, the DFB, Klopp said: "Nothing is final yet, but the talks are ongoing and everything is moving in the right direction."
Based on reports and off-the-record comments, the DFB made clear to Red Bull that it could not pay a large severance package for Klopp. However, reports of "creative solutions" to the impasse, such as Klopp continuing to operate in some commerical capacity on behalf of the energy drinks giant, soon circulated.
https://p.dw.com/p/5HORaSkip next section Rhine river levels show signs of recovery after extreme heat07/19/2026July 19, 2026Rhine river levels show signs of recovery after extreme heat
Measuring stations are still reporting low water levels at most posts along the Rhine river in western Germany.
Water levels along Europe's busiest inland freight waterway, connecting Rotterdam's vast port to much of Germany, are roughly half what you'd expect at this time or year, or around a third of the annual averages. This is a result of two recent heat waves, the earlier of the two bringing unprecedented temperatures to parts of Germany.
Low summer water levels can cause complications for freight companies, sometimes forcing them to run barges with only partial loads, particularly if they are carrying high-density cargo.
The levels have however risen slightly in the past few days — particularly in major cities in North Rhine-Westphalia like Bonn, Cologne and Düsseldorf — and are forecast to continue to improve as the week begins.
Düsseldorf's city website predicts that levels in the city, which is one of the river's shallower and busier points, should roughly double by Tuesday when compared to Friday evening's low point.
Although not much rain is forecast in the NRW region in the coming days, areas upstream have improved levels that should soon be reflected further north.
https://p.dw.com/p/5HOMHSkip next section Munich enthusiasts dance in the dawn at English Garden ball07/19/2026July 19, 2026Munich enthusiasts dance in the dawn at English Garden ball
Folk dance enthusiasts or simply early-morning revellers gathered in central Munich for the annual Kocherlball on Sunday.
A crowd of some 12,000 people gathered at the Chinese Tower dining room and beer garden in the English Garden park in the Bavarian capital.
People arrived to reserve tables as early as 3 a.m. for the tradition to ring in the dawn by candlelight; every table was taken by 4 in the morning, Bavaria's BR broadcaster reported.
The tradition traces its roots back to 1794, when an English count Benjamin Thomspon threw a ball for staff members at a military workhouse he'd established in the city.
The tradition caught on and endured annually for decades, weather permitting at least.
Many participants worked as serving girls or maids or soldiers, or as cooks in the mess hall — hence the Bavarian dialect name Kocherlball. They had to gather at dawn because they were expected back on duty later in the day.
The event was banned in 1904 amid reports of rowdy behavior. But in 1989, the tradition was revived, by this point more for enthusiasts from the general public than serving staff.
https://p.dw.com/p/5HOLUSkip next section Klopp-Mintzlaff talks in US eagerly awaited by Germany fans07/19/2026July 19, 2026Klopp-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, 2026A45 Autobahn bridge in Sauerland demolished at second attempt
Saim Dušan Inayatullah EditorIt 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, 2026Germany 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, 2026Cabinet 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, 2026Solar 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, 2026IN 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, 2026Tesla 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, 2026Welcome back to our coverage
Timothy Jones | Richard Connor EditorThe 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.
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