Tuesday’s top story: Hot weather remains over Germany until Wednesday A high-pressure system that has brought record temperatures for late-May to Central Europe will remain in place until Wednesday. An update from the German Weather Service (DWD) on Tuesday morning calls for dry continental air, and high temperatures in many areas. A cold front is then expected to bring cooler air from Scandinavia on Wednesday. No weather hazards are expected within the next 24 hours, but temperatures will reach the low 30s in much of
the country. READ ALSO: Germany to see temperatures ‘up to 35C’ as heatwave hits Federal coalition plans austerity for parents, the childless and the retired The coalition’s considerations on savings in state benefits continues to provide plenty of political explosive material. Recently government leaders have floated the idea of increasing the retirement age, and now there is now also a discussion about the future of parental allowance. According to the Federal Statistical Office, around 1.61 million people received parental allowance last year. The benefit is
an income replacement for parents who take time off from work to care for their newborns or young children. As a rule, it amounts to 65 percent of the net earnings before the birth, but at least €300 and at most €1,800 per month. The move would represent an abrupt turn in policy compared to what the federal leaders had originaly suggested they would do. In the coalition agreement between the CDU, CSU and SPD, it was actually written: “We want to noticeably raise the
income limit as well as the minimum and maximum amounts.” READ ALSO: Will Germany cut back it’s ‘parental allowance’ benefit for families? In other reforms, Federal Health Minister Nina Warken (CDU) wants to increase contributions for long-term care for those who do not have children. Redaktions Netzwerk Deutschland (RND) reports, that according to Warken’s plans, the contribution surcharge for the childless is to increase by 0.1 percentage points to 0.7 percent. Meawhile Federal Minister of Economics Katherina Reiche (CDU) spoke to the Kölner Stadt-Anzeiger in
favour of a “stop to early retirement programs”. A pension commission appointed by the federal government is to make proposals for a comprehensive reform of the pension system by the end of June. Both an increase in the retirement age and a long-term reduction in the pension level are being discussed. Majority not confident Germany could defend itself in attack If the country were attacked, many people in Germany don’t believe the country is ready to defend itself, a new poll showed. Seventy-two percent said
they did not think the Bundeswehr could defend the country adequately with only 17 percent having faith the armed services could cope, according to an Insa survey commissioned by Bild am Sonntag newspaper. The survey also showed that people were less worried about the possibility of an attack by Russia compared with last September but more worried about the possibility of cyberattacks, sabotage and disinformation. Some two-thirds of the 1,005 respondents questioned said they were concerned about these threats. Deutsche Bahn says its aiming for
90 percent punctuality in regional travel Deutsche Bahn wants to achieve a punctuality rate of more than 90 percent in regional transport again, according to statements by the company’s regional travel boss. “The challenge is to stop the downward trend quickly. We have to find new solutions in the system network,” the head of the DB regional transport subsidiary, Harmen van Zijderveld, told the German Press Agency. The last time there was a punctuality rate of more than 90 percent in local transport was in
March 2025. In April 2026, the figure was 89.1 percent. The main reason for delays is generally the poor condition of the infrastructure. The route network is dilapidated in many places. Another reason for delays is congested nodes, including in the large cities. “We see that in some situations we have a timetable that no longer makes sense when it comes to the load on the infrastructure,” said van Zijderveld. The number of passengers in regional transport has recently risen significantly – the manager also
attributes this to the rising prices for gasoline. “In April, we had 12 million more travellers – almost 10 percent more than in the same period last year,” said van Zijderveld. READ ALSO: Inside Germany – The perks (and pains) of Deutsche Bahn’s rewards program With reporting by Amy Brooke.
Germany weather Tuesday Wednesday DWD high-pressure parental allowance retirement age pension reform Bundeswehr poll Insa Deutsche Bahn punctuality regional transport Harmen van Zijderveld