Friday’s top story: Germany team coach likely to be replaced following World Cup embarrassment Julian Nagelsmann is reportedly set to be sacked as Germany coach, tabloid Bild reported Thursday, with former Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp the favourite to take over in the dugout. Nagelsmann, 38, has been under fire since Germany’s last 32 exit from the World Cup after a shock loss to Paraguay. Bild reported Thursday the coach had been offered a severance package of seven million euros to leave the position in a
three-hour meeting. Last renewed in January 2025, Nagelsmann’s contract is set to run until 2028. Figures on his annual salary have not been made public, although German media reports he earns roughly seven million euros per year. Germany’s loss on penalties to Paraguay marked the third straight early World Cup exit for the four-time champions, after group stage eliminations in Russia and Qatar. Monday’s defeat was Germany’s first knockout match since winning the World Cup in Brazil in 2014. A decision on Nagelsmann is expected
“by the beginning of next week at the latest”, AFP sports subsidiary SID reported Thursday. Several German media outlets, including Sky and Munich daily Sueddeutsche Zeitung, have said Klopp is the overwhelming favourite to succeed Nagelsmann. Health insurance company warns coalition’s sick leave plan will crowd doctors’ offices The health insurance company DAK-Gesundheit warns that the coalition’s plan to tighten Germany’s sick leave rules will strain doctors’ offices. “The abolition of sick leave by telephone increases the number of doctor visits and thus also the
burden on employees in the practices,” said CEO Andreas Storm of the German Press Agency. “In combination with the obligation to obtain a sick note for work from the first day of illness, there is a risk of overcrowded family doctors’ practices.” Vice-Chancellor Lars Klingbeil justified the planned tightening as a compromise in the coalition, but is striving for practicable solutions in the implementation. Chancellor Friedrich Merz (CDU) explained on ZDF program “Maybrit Illner”: “You don’t have to go to the doctor’s office on the
first day. They must have a certificate of incapacity for work from day one,” he said without further explanation. The leaders of the black-red coalition had agreed to abolish the possibility of telephone sick notes and require workers to submit sick notes from the doctor for work on the first day of illness. So far, it is mandatory on the fourth day. READ ALSO: ‘Catastrophic’ – Germany plans stricter rules for sick leave Merz added that companies can maintain different rules. More Syrians are losing
their protected status in Germany Germany is increasingly revoking protected status for Syrian refugees, with new figures showing a sharp rise in reassessment decisions. According to reports, the Federal Office for Migration and Refugees withdrew protection from around 17 percent of reviewed Syrian cases this year, up from less than four percent in 2025. In May alone, the rate reportedly exceeded 30 percent. Authorities say the increase reflects a stronger focus on cases involving criminal offences, where revocation can be more easily justified. READ ALSO:
‘I did everything right’ – Syrian student fights deportation from Germany At the same time, voluntary returns are gradually increasing, though from a low base. More than 3,600 Syrians accepted financial support to leave Germany in 2025, with over 2,300 departures recorded in the first five months of this year. Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt has proposed raising financial incentives for voluntary return to up to €1,000 per adult, according to reports in Spiegel, although no final decision has yet been made. Nuremberg’s trams still not
running after heat damage Nuremberg’s trams continue to stand still at the start of the morning rush hour on Friday, according to a report by Bavarian outlet BR24. So far, no section of track has been reopened for passenger service, a spokeswoman confirmed. On Thursday the Nuremberg transport company VAG had undertaken a first test drive after the operation of the tram had been suspended for almost a week. During extreme heat last weekend, the joint compound between the rails and the road was softened
and melted in places in a way that made the tracks unusable. The same issue occurred in Leipzig, where at least six lines are now running again according to a report by Tagesschau. Leipzig’s mayor said that all the trams should be up and running by the middle of next week. There, the city’s LVB transport company had called on volunteers to help clean tracks of molten join compound in an effort to get the trams running again faster. Volunteers can join the effort once
again on Saturday at the Leibnizstraße and Wintergartenstraße stops at 10 am. Public broadcasters face pressure as fee debate intensifies Germany’s public broadcasters are under mounting pressure as a new survey highlights widespread scepticism over the licence fee that funds ARD and ZDF. With the issue now before the Federal Constitutional Court, the networks are seeking approval for a fee increase, arguing their finances have been stretched by years of underfunding. However, public opinion remains firmly opposed. Around 68 percent of respondents consider the current
monthly fee of €18.36 to be too high, while only a small minority believe it should increase. READ ALSO: Germany’s ‘TV tax’ expected to rise in 2027 Despite this, the survey also points to a modest shift in sentiment. Compared with 2024, fewer people now think the fee is excessive, suggesting a slight improvement in public acceptance. The proportion who believe broadcasters deserve more funding has also risen, albeit from a low base. German drone firm raises €1.2bn as defence sector booms A German defence
technology company has secured a major funding boost, underlining growing investor interest in Europe’s rapidly expanding security and defence sector. Munich‑based drone manufacturer Quantum Systems announced it had raised $1.2 billion, more than doubling its valuation to around $8 billion. The investment round drew backing from major players including Blackstone, Airbus and several international funds. The company produces surveillance drones and AI‑driven autonomous systems, supplying both European armed forces and Ukraine amid its ongoing war with Russia. Founded in 2015, Quantum Systems has broadened its
focus beyond aerial surveillance and is now working on autonomous land and naval systems. Its rapid growth reflects a wider surge in defence spending as European nations seek to strengthen military capabilities. With reporting by AFP, DPA and Tom Pugh.
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