Markus Söder
German politician, CSU
Photo: Sandro Halank, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0, CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons, cropped)
- 11h ago
JU Deutschlandtag in Bonn: Merz to address delegates on Saturday, 17 October amid coalition strain
The Junge Union opens its Deutschlandtag in Bonn on Friday, 16 October, with Merz due to speak to delegates on Saturday, 17 October, about a year after a bitter clash over pensions.
- Oct 6
About 120 Left party members criticise Berlin antisemitism pact with SPD and Greens
Around 120 party members and office holders have signed a statement against the antisemitism agreement that cleared the way for coalition talks in Berlin on Thursday. The dispute also centres on Bundestag member Ferat Koçak.
- Oct 6
Hendrik Wüst leads Markus Söder in poll on potential successors to German Chancellor Friedrich Merz
A Forsa survey shows 47% of familiar respondents favor Hendrik Wüst as chancellor over Markus Söder at 26%, as Friedrich Merz records 11% approval.
- Sep 29
NRW Premier Hendrik Wüst meets Turkish President Erdogan in Ankara for 50-minute talks
North Rhine-Westphalia Premier Hendrik Wüst held talks with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in Ankara to discuss trade, defense ties, and EU visa policies on the 65th anniversary of the bilateral recruitment treaty.
- Sep 27
German Olympic body selects Munich as candidate city for Summer Games
The German Olympic Sports Confederation voted 91 to 50 in Baden-Baden to nominate Munich over Cologne-Rhine-Ruhr as Germany's candidate for the 2036, 2040, or 2044 Summer Olympics.
- Sep 20
AfD wins in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania as Die Linke takes Berlin and CDU falls below 5%
The Alternative for Germany finished first in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania with 38.2% of the vote, while Die Linke won Berlin with 25.6%. Chancellor Friedrich Merz rejected calls to resign after the CDU fell below the 5% parliamentary threshold in Schwerin.
- Aug 4
Last injured student discharged after Schongau school attack; extremist probe continues
A month after a 16-year-old attacked classmates with a knife and pistol at a Bavarian gymnasium, the final injured student has left hospital. Investigators are pursuing an extremist motive and tracing the weapon's darknet origin.
- Jul 26
Söder announces 2028 re-election bid, defends Merz's reshuffle, and warns against AfD cooperation
Bavarian premier Markus Söder used the ZDF Sommerinterview to confirm his 2028 candidacy, defend Chancellor Merz's cabinet reshuffle, and draw a sharp line against cooperation with the AfD, while also addressing the Berlin CSD attack.
- Jul 24
Gloria-Sophie Burkandt, daughter of Bavaria's Markus Söder, details school beatings and anorexia in ProSieben documentary
In the ProSieben series 'Born Famous', 27-year-old Gloria-Sophie Burkandt describes being beaten by classmates and buying shin guards for protection, while her father, Bavarian premier Markus Söder, admits their relationship is strained.
- Jul 21
Bavarian CSU ministers accuse Manfred Weber of inaction on EU nature and deforestation laws
Agriculture minister Michaela Kaniber and European affairs minister Eric Beißwenger wrote a sharply worded letter to the EPP group leader, demanding he use his influence against two EU regulations they say threaten Bavarian land, property and forestry.
- Jul 19
Jens Spahn resigns as CDU/CSU parliamentary leader after surrogacy backlash
The head of Germany's conservative parliamentary group stepped down on Saturday after his decision to have a child via a surrogate in the United States collided with his party's long-standing opposition to the practice.
- Jul 11
Markus Söder says Minijobs 'remain' in clash with German pension reform blueprint
CSU leader Markus Söder has broken with a government pension commission's call to abolish low-paid 'Minijobs', promising they will endure and warning of damage to hospitality, retail and farming.
- Jul 8
16-year-old ex-student attacks two girls at Schongau school; quick actions by classmates and teachers credited with saving a life
A 16-year-old former student armed with a pistol and knife wounded two 13-year-old girls at the Welfen-Gymnasium in Schongau, Bavaria, on Wednesday. Teachers and police overpowered him within 17 minutes, and classmates’ emergency first aid likely prevented a death.
- Jul 7
Germany plans deep cuts to heat pump subsidies, shifts to income-based support
The German government is planning to slash subsidies for climate-friendly heating systems, saving €2.1 billion by 2030, while redirecting support to lower-income households and families.
- Jul 4
German coalition moves to ban state-level expropriation of housing giants, Berlin SPD and Left cry foul
The CDU/CSU-SPD government wants to outlaw state-level takeovers of large landlords, a direct response to Berlin's 2021 referendum. Critics call it a gift to the Left ahead of September's city election.
- Jun 21
Söder pushes for Bürgergeld cuts to constitutional minimum, demands national payment card law for asylum seekers
Bavarian premier Markus Söder calls for slashing Germany's citizen income to the 'absolute constitutional minimum' and demands a national law to enforce payment cards for asylum seekers amid coalition tensions.
- Jun 15
Söder unveils 10-point plan to quell CSU revolt after vice-chief Weber demands course change
The Bavarian premier and CSU leader presented a package of internal reforms after a closed-door party executive meeting that aired months of frustration over his style and the March local election losses.
- May 28
Yad Vashem to Open First-Ever International Education Center in Munich, with Satellite in Leipzig
Israel's Yad Vashem Holocaust memorial has chosen Munich as the site for its first educational center outside Israel, with a smaller branch in Leipzig, in a move to combat rising global antisemitism.
