Germany's news in English 👋 www.thelocal.dehttps://bsky.app/profile/thelocalgermany.bsky.socialhttps://bsky.app/profile/thelocalgermany.bsky.social/post/3mvpuogtmwo27Germany's 'Elternzeit' may sound like time off, but the first year with a baby can be lonely, chaotic and full of admin. From Familienzentren to Kleinanzeigen, journalist and new parent Imogen Goodman writes about how to get through it. https://www.thelocal.de/20260917/how-to-survive-your-first-year-as-a-parent-in-germany?utm_source=bluesky&utm_medium=bluesky&tpcc=bluesky17 Sep 2026 14:32 +0000at://did:plc:rysxdzbzdordfe774xdecqs7/app.bsky.feed.post/3mvpuogtmwo27https://bsky.app/profile/thelocalgermany.bsky.social/post/3mvptw5sv4p2tThe EU laid out plans Thursday for strict age limits for children to access social media, games and AI assistants -- and on forcing companies to make platforms safe before minors use them. https://www.thelocal.de/20260917/explained-what-would-change-for-kids-and-social-media-under-new-eu-law?utm_source=bluesky&utm_medium=bluesky&tpcc=bluesky17 Sep 2026 14:19 +0000at://did:plc:rysxdzbzdordfe774xdecqs7/app.bsky.feed.post/3mvptw5sv4p2thttps://bsky.app/profile/thelocalgermany.bsky.social/post/3mvpsvj2ymf2gJurgen Klopp said on Thursday that Germany's football team can help ensure "national pride is not entrusted to the wrong people" after a recent far-right AfD election victory. https://www.thelocal.de/20260917/new-manager-wants-german-team-to-help-reclaim-national-pride-from-far-right?utm_source=bluesky&utm_medium=bluesky&tpcc=bluesky17 Sep 2026 14:01 +0000at://did:plc:rysxdzbzdordfe774xdecqs7/app.bsky.feed.post/3mvpsvj2ymf2ghttps://bsky.app/profile/thelocalgermany.bsky.social/post/3mvpsff6f5524Germany's finance minister urged the European Union on Thursday to step up action against what he called China's "unfair trade practices" to protect the country's struggling carmakers. https://www.thelocal.de/20260917/germany-urges-eu-action-against-china-to-defend-carmakers?utm_source=bluesky&utm_medium=bluesky&tpcc=bluesky17 Sep 2026 13:52 +0000at://did:plc:rysxdzbzdordfe774xdecqs7/app.bsky.feed.post/3mvpsff6f5524https://bsky.app/profile/thelocalgermany.bsky.social/post/3mvprmfjyyr24Canada's Prime Minister Mark Carney shrugged off a threat of US retaliation on Thursday as he pitched a "new alliance" with Europe as a bulwark against outside pressures, in a closely watched speech to the European Parliament. https://www.thelocal.de/20260917/canadas-pm-carney-pushes-new-alliance-with-eu-despite-trump-threats?utm_source=bluesky&utm_medium=bluesky&tpcc=bluesky17 Sep 2026 13:38 +0000at://did:plc:rysxdzbzdordfe774xdecqs7/app.bsky.feed.post/3mvprmfjyyr24https://bsky.app/profile/thelocalgermany.bsky.social/post/3mvpklpcjit2fEver wondered how Germans describe the festival-goer who's become completely horizontal after one drink too many? Here’s a vivid piece of slang that’s likely to get plenty of use over the next few weeks. https://www.thelocal.de/20260917/german-word-of-the-day-bierleiche?utm_source=bluesky&utm_medium=bluesky&tpcc=bluesky17 Sep 2026 11:32 +0000at://did:plc:rysxdzbzdordfe774xdecqs7/app.bsky.feed.post/3mvpklpcjit2fhttps://bsky.app/profile/thelocalgermany.bsky.social/post/3mvpdspw5fb2gA record number of people have gained German citizenship in Berlin since the last elections in 2023. We look at how many people could go to the polls for the first time – and at what they might want to know when they get there. https://www.thelocal.de/20260917/how-many-new-german-citizens-can-vote-in-the-berlin-elections?utm_source=bluesky&utm_medium=bluesky&tpcc=bluesky17 Sep 2026 09:31 +0000at://did:plc:rysxdzbzdordfe774xdecqs7/app.bsky.feed.post/3mvpdspw5fb2ghttps://bsky.app/profile/thelocalgermany.bsky.social/post/3mvpclag47o2hFigures released this week suggest workplace discrimination is becoming more common in Germany. If you experience it, knowing your rights and acting quickly can make a significant difference. https://www.thelocal.de/20260917/what-to-do-in-germany-if-you-experience-workplace-discrimination?utm_source=bluesky&utm_medium=bluesky&tpcc=bluesky17 Sep 2026 09:08 +0000at://did:plc:rysxdzbzdordfe774xdecqs7/app.bsky.feed.post/3mvpclag47o2hhttps://bsky.app/profile/thelocalgermany.bsky.social/post/3mvp7j3g5ks2vThough many road signs are universal, some slight differences in Germany may catch you out. https://www.thelocal.de/20220407/driving-in-germany-eight-german-road-signs-that-confuse-foreigners?utm_source=bluesky&utm_medium=bluesky&tpcc=bluesky17 Sep 2026 08:14 +0000at://did:plc:rysxdzbzdordfe774xdecqs7/app.bsky.feed.post/3mvp7j3g5ks2vhttps://bsky.app/profile/thelocalgermany.bsky.social/post/3mvp2auyjsu2sGermany targets social security fraud with ten-point plan, workplace discrimination drives surge in reported cases, Saxony loosens wolf hunting rules and more news on Thursday, September 17th. https://www.thelocal.de/20260917/today-in-germany-a-roundup-of-the-latest-news-on-thursday-136?utm_source=bluesky&utm_medium=bluesky&tpcc=bluesky17 Sep 2026 06:40 +0000at://did:plc:rysxdzbzdordfe774xdecqs7/app.bsky.feed.post/3mvp2auyjsu2shttps://bsky.app/profile/thelocalgermany.bsky.social/post/3mvnfamkgkp27Germany's anti-immigration AfD party is eyeing another election triumph on Sunday in a northeastern coastal state where the popular premier is campaigning on a promise to hold back a rising far-right tide. https://www.thelocal.de/20260916/the-state-premier-hoping-to-halt-the-far-right-in-mecklenburg-western-pomerania?utm_source=bluesky&utm_medium=bluesky&tpcc=bluesky16 Sep 2026 14:51 +0000at://did:plc:rysxdzbzdordfe774xdecqs7/app.bsky.feed.post/3mvnfamkgkp27https://bsky.app/profile/thelocalgermany.bsky.social/post/3mvnbhmqpmu2gGermany's housing crisis has now become a welfare-state issue, according to the German Tenants' Association. Could that finally mean tougher protections for renters? https://www.thelocal.de/20260916/is-germany-about-to-crack-down-on-rent-control-loopholes?utm_source=bluesky&utm_medium=bluesky&tpcc=bluesky16 Sep 2026 13:43 +0000at://did:plc:rysxdzbzdordfe774xdecqs7/app.bsky.feed.post/3mvnbhmqpmu2ghttps://bsky.app/profile/thelocalgermany.bsky.social/post/3mvn6w4cqbc2lImmigration and German citizenship rules are some of the most important topics for foreign residents in Germany. Ahead of Sunday's election in Berlin, we round up what political parties in the capital have to say about their immigration policies. https://www.thelocal.de/20260916/what-political-parties-in-berlin-say-about-immigration-and-german-citizenship?utm_source=bluesky&utm_medium=bluesky&tpcc=bluesky16 Sep 2026 12:58 +0000at://did:plc:rysxdzbzdordfe774xdecqs7/app.bsky.feed.post/3mvn6w4cqbc2lhttps://bsky.app/profile/thelocalgermany.bsky.social/post/3mvn65wyut224EU chief Ursula von der Leyen raised the prospect Wednesday of Canada becoming the 27-nation bloc's first "associate member', as she pitched closer cooperation on tech, defence and energy to Canadian leader Mark Carney. https://www.thelocal.de/20260916/could-canada-become-the-first-associate-member-of-the-eu?utm_source=bluesky&utm_medium=bluesky&tpcc=bluesky16 Sep 2026 12:44 +0000at://did:plc:rysxdzbzdordfe774xdecqs7/app.bsky.feed.post/3mvn65wyut224https://bsky.app/profile/thelocalgermany.bsky.social/post/3mvmtewpjji24The European Union will ban social media for children under 13 and allow only limited, supervised access until the age of 15 under plans unveiled Wednesday by EU chief Ursula von der Leyen. https://www.thelocal.de/20260916/europe-has-power-to-act-eu-to-ban-social-media-for-under-13s?utm_source=bluesky&utm_medium=bluesky&tpcc=bluesky16 Sep 2026 09:31 +0000at://did:plc:rysxdzbzdordfe774xdecqs7/app.bsky.feed.post/3mvmtewpjji24https://bsky.app/profile/thelocalgermany.bsky.social/post/3mvmr3oby2x24A new nationwide education ranking has once again put Saxony top of the class and Bremen at the bottom. The study also warns that educational standards are slipping across all 16 German states. https://www.thelocal.de/20260916/where-does-your-state-rank-in-germanys-education-league-table?utm_source=bluesky&utm_medium=bluesky&tpcc=bluesky16 Sep 2026 08:50 +0000at://did:plc:rysxdzbzdordfe774xdecqs7/app.bsky.feed.post/3mvmr3oby2x24https://bsky.app/profile/thelocalgermany.bsky.social/post/3mvmr3mw3jg2vFrom bag checks and "heat maps" that show overcrowding to extra police officers, plus a safe area for women, here are the plans aimed at ensuring people's safety at Oktoberfest this year. https://www.thelocal.de/20260916/bag-checks-and-safe-spaces-how-munich-aims-to-make-oktoberfest-safer?utm_source=bluesky&utm_medium=bluesky&tpcc=bluesky16 Sep 2026 08:50 +0000at://did:plc:rysxdzbzdordfe774xdecqs7/app.bsky.feed.post/3mvmr3mw3jg2vhttps://bsky.app/profile/thelocalgermany.bsky.social/post/3mvmpsvxgic2dDogs are part of everyday life in Germany – but the rules around leashes, noise and shared spaces can be surprisingly strict. Whether you own a dog or not, here’s how the law shapes what you see when you’re out and about. https://www.thelocal.de/20260410/when-and-where-do-dogs-have-to-be-on-a-leash-in-germany?utm_source=bluesky&utm_medium=bluesky&tpcc=bluesky16 Sep 2026 08:27 +0000at://did:plc:rysxdzbzdordfe774xdecqs7/app.bsky.feed.post/3mvmpsvxgic2dhttps://bsky.app/profile/thelocalgermany.bsky.social/post/3mvmjcdt2lm2vOrganised crime in Germany getting more international, digitally connected and violent, school pupils in Bavaria evacuated after chlorine gas leak, drone maker forced underground amid suspected Russian threat and more news on Wednesday. https://www.thelocal.de/20260916/today-in-germany-a-roundup-of-the-latest-news-on-wednesday-138?utm_source=bluesky&utm_medium=bluesky&tpcc=bluesky16 Sep 2026 06:31 +0000at://did:plc:rysxdzbzdordfe774xdecqs7/app.bsky.feed.post/3mvmjcdt2lm2vhttps://bsky.app/profile/thelocalgermany.bsky.social/post/3mvkuc32uzt2iGerman Chancellor Friedrich Merz plans an executive committee meeting of his centre-right CDU on Sunday, straight after two state elections are held, to seek assurances he has his party's continued support. https://www.thelocal.de/20260915/germanys-merz-plans-high-stakes-party-meeting-after-sundays-state-polls?utm_source=bluesky&utm_medium=bluesky&tpcc=bluesky15 Sep 2026 14:42 +0000at://did:plc:rysxdzbzdordfe774xdecqs7/app.bsky.feed.post/3mvkuc32uzt2ihttps://bsky.app/profile/thelocalgermany.bsky.social/post/3mvksri3k772iFuel costs have surged in Germany over the last two weeks, with petrol rising by around 12 cents per litre and diesel by more than 20 cents. Now German Chancellor Friedrich Merz has pledged relief for drivers. https://www.thelocal.de/20260915/germany-plans-price-relief-for-drivers-amid-rising-fuel-costs?utm_source=bluesky&utm_medium=bluesky&tpcc=bluesky15 Sep 2026 14:15 +0000at://did:plc:rysxdzbzdordfe774xdecqs7/app.bsky.feed.post/3mvksri3k772ihttps://bsky.app/profile/thelocalgermany.bsky.social/post/3mvksrgremb2fSometimes just the titles of new books can reveal a lot about what’s currently preoccupying a country. We take a look at the six novels on the shortlist for Germany’s most prestigious literary prize. https://www.thelocal.de/20260915/the-six-novels-battling-to-win-the-german-book-prize-2026?utm_source=bluesky&utm_medium=bluesky&tpcc=bluesky15 Sep 2026 14:15 +0000at://did:plc:rysxdzbzdordfe774xdecqs7/app.bsky.feed.post/3mvksrgremb2fhttps://bsky.app/profile/thelocalgermany.bsky.social/post/3mvkpamgigi2lMany students and young professionals pay up to €20,000 to migrate to Germany, only to find themselves trapped in an illegal gig economy. We spoke to a labour expert in Berlin who shared the reality check you need, before you book a flight. https://www.thelocal.de/20260804/three-hard-truths-for-indians-thinking-about-moving-to-germany?utm_source=bluesky&utm_medium=bluesky&tpcc=bluesky15 Sep 2026 13:12 +0000at://did:plc:rysxdzbzdordfe774xdecqs7/app.bsky.feed.post/3mvkpamgigi2lhttps://bsky.app/profile/thelocalgermany.bsky.social/post/3mvkfrdmun32sBerliners will go to the polls on Sunday to elect a new state parliament. We explain who can vote, the big issues and what you can expect from this nail-biting election. https://www.thelocal.de/20260915/qa-what-foreign-residents-need-to-know-about-berlins-upcoming-election?utm_source=bluesky&utm_medium=bluesky&tpcc=bluesky15 Sep 2026 10:22 +0000at://did:plc:rysxdzbzdordfe774xdecqs7/app.bsky.feed.post/3mvkfrdmun32shttps://bsky.app/profile/thelocalgermany.bsky.social/post/3mvkb7ps6pj2hEven digitally confident Germans struggle with online government services, according to new research. In some cases, up to nine in 10 users in the country abandon digital application processes before reaching the end. https://www.thelocal.de/20260915/why-so-many-people-give-up-on-germanys-digital-bureaucracy?utm_source=bluesky&utm_medium=bluesky&tpcc=bluesky15 Sep 2026 09:01 +0000at://did:plc:rysxdzbzdordfe774xdecqs7/app.bsky.feed.post/3mvkb7ps6pj2hhttps://bsky.app/profile/thelocalgermany.bsky.social/post/3mvjyvlhw2p2gNearly half of German pupils suffer from sleep problems, fuel prices hit record highs, German Defence Minister Boris Pistorius visits US for high profile talks and more news on Tuesday, September 15th. https://www.thelocal.de/20260915/today-in-germany-a-roundup-of-the-latest-news-on-tuesday-140?utm_source=bluesky&utm_medium=bluesky&tpcc=bluesky15 Sep 2026 06:32 +0000at://did:plc:rysxdzbzdordfe774xdecqs7/app.bsky.feed.post/3mvjyvlhw2p2ghttps://bsky.app/profile/thelocalgermany.bsky.social/post/3mvijicks3324British rockers Oasis on Monday announced a new world tour in 2027 with shows planned in Paris, Munich, Barcelona and Rome after the sell-out success of their surprise comeback tour last year. https://www.thelocal.de/20260914/british-rockers-oasis-announce-tour-dates-in-paris-munich-barcelona-and-rome?utm_source=bluesky&utm_medium=bluesky&tpcc=bluesky14 Sep 2026 16:23 +0000at://did:plc:rysxdzbzdordfe774xdecqs7/app.bsky.feed.post/3mvijicks3324https://bsky.app/profile/thelocalgermany.bsky.social/post/3mviir5cc5z2gThe European Commission is planning a revision of Schengen rules on short-stay visas to make the EU’s visa policy "more coherent, secure and effective, while facilitating legitimate travel". https://www.thelocal.de/20260914/eu-commission-mulls-revision-of-schengen-visa-rules-and-fees?utm_source=bluesky&utm_medium=bluesky&tpcc=bluesky14 Sep 2026 16:11 +0000at://did:plc:rysxdzbzdordfe774xdecqs7/app.bsky.feed.post/3mviir5cc5z2ghttps://bsky.app/profile/thelocalgermany.bsky.social/post/3mvicr5mz4e24Every autumn, Munich’s Theresienwiese transforms into the site of the world’s largest folk festival. With upwards of six million visitors expected from around the globe, we’d love to hear your advice on how to make the most of the experience - or just survive. https://www.thelocal.de/20260914/tell-us-what-are-your-top-tips-for-surviving-oktoberfest?utm_source=bluesky&utm_medium=bluesky&tpcc=bluesky14 Sep 2026 14:23 +0000at://did:plc:rysxdzbzdordfe774xdecqs7/app.bsky.feed.post/3mvicr5mz4e24https://bsky.app/profile/thelocalgermany.bsky.social/post/3mviaxzetvq2lGermany's finance minister was due on Monday to meet the UniCredit CEO to seek guarantees over the future of Commerzbank, as the Italian lender gears up to complete a takeover of its German rival. https://www.thelocal.de/20260914/germany-seeks-guarantees-from-unicredit-over-commerzbank-takeover?utm_source=bluesky&utm_medium=bluesky&tpcc=bluesky14 Sep 2026 13:51 +0000at://did:plc:rysxdzbzdordfe774xdecqs7/app.bsky.feed.post/3mviaxzetvq2l