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German Chancellor Friedrich Merz announced his intention to nominate Ilse Aigner as the country’s next federal president. Meanwhile, police discovered the body of a missing 13-year-old Berlin girl in an abandoned house in Brandenburg, holding a suspect in critical condition.
Presidential Nomination and Political Developments
Chancellor Friedrich Merz informed Christian Democrat Union (CDU) party leaders that he will put forward Ilse Aigner to replace Frank-Walter Steinmeier when his term ends early next year, as reported by dpa, AFP and Reuters. Aigner, currently the president of the Bavarian state parliament and a member of the conservative Christian Social Union (CSU), would become Germany’s first female president if elected on January 30. Representatives from the SPD and Green Party have already voiced their support. Steinmeier is a member of the junior coalition partner SPD.
In other political news, Bavarian Premier Markus Söder called for a return to military conscription, arguing that Germany faces unprecedented threats and needs to strengthen the Bundeswehr. His remarks countered those of Defense Minister Boris Pistorius, who recently stated that voluntary recruitment measures are working and a draft is unnecessary.
Crime and Public Incidents
Berlin Police and the Berlin Public Prosecutor’s Office announced that a body discovered in an abandoned house in Brandenburg is believed to be Lisa T., a 13-year-old girl who went missing on her way to school. Brandenburg police found the remains alongside an injured male suspect following a local tip about a break-in. The suspect is under police guard in critical condition with self-inflicted injuries.
In Berlin, a 22-year-old man was taken into custody after climbing the flagpole at the Reichstag building using a harness and replacing the Unity Flag with a Palestinian flag. Police launched an investigation for suspected denigration of state symbols, property damage, and trespassing.
Additionally, authorities in Poland released victim nationalities following a shooting in Krakow, which left six dead and 15 wounded. The injured include Austrian, British, German, Portuguese, and Russian passport holders. German Federal President Frank-Walter Steinmeier expressed solidarity with Poland and offered condolences to Polish President Karol Nawocki.
Climate, Environment, and Energy
Researchers confirmed the loss of the Schwarzmilzferner, the final glacier in the Allgäu Alps located on the border between Germany and Austria. Glaciologist Cristoph Mayer told dpa that the glacier has lost over four meters in thickness and half its volume this year due to a massive summer heatwave, warning that the entire Eastern Alps could be ice-free between 2060 and 2070.
German Environment Minister Carsten Schneider stated his hope for progress at the upcoming UN Climate Change Conference in Antalya, Turkey. Schneider will represent the German cabinet alone, as Chancellor Friedrich Merz decided to skip the summit due to other commitments. Climate activist Luisa Neubauer criticized Merz’s absence as an insult to vulnerable nations.
A survey by the NIM Institute revealed that 71% of respondents favor government price caps on gasoline and diesel, while 66% support a windfall tax on oil corporations.
Economy, Sports, and Society
Germany’s IG Metall union called for a two-hour strike at a Mercedes-Benz plant outside Berlin and a Gestamp supplier facility amid stalled wage negotiations. The union is demanding a 5% pay increase for roughly 96,000 metal and electrical industry workers across Berlin and Brandenburg.
In football, FC Bayern Munich goalkeeper Manuel Neuer suffered a torn foot tendon in a 2-1 victory in Mainz, adding to the team’s injury list alongside head coach Vincent Kompany and several long-term absentees. Neuer marked his 550th Bundesliga appearance as Bayern’s oldest-ever player at age 40.
According to a study by EY, the pay gap between male and female executive board members at leading German companies narrowed significantly in 2025. Female board members outside of chief executive roles earned an average of €2.20 million, bringing the gap down to €26,000.
Veronika Nahm, head of the Anne Frank Zentrum in Berlin, reported that young people are increasingly denying or downplaying Holocaust facts, attributing the trend to a lack of detailed information and a generational change among teachers.
