Germany news: Childfree adults to pay more for elder care

Skip next section Actor Christian Ulmen under investigation for domestic violenceMay 26, 2026Actor Christian Ulmen under investigation for domestic violenceLocal media has reported that prosecutors in the eastern city of Potsdam have opened an investigation in German actor Christian Ulmen over allegations of domestic violence.

Ulmen is suspected of "digital violence" that "allegedly took place in Spain between 2022 and 2023," authorities were quoted by the Potsdamer Neusten Nachrichten as saying.

In March, Der Spiegel magazine broke the news that German TV presenter Collien Fernandes had filed a lawsuit against Ulmen, her ex-husband, in Spain accusing him of creating deepfake pornography in her likeness, creating fake social media profiles purporting to belong to Fernandes, and digital stalking.

The pair were married from 2011 until February of this year, the majority of that time spent in Potsdam. Ulmen is a well-known actor in Germany from a variety of comedy movies and Fernandes has spent her career presenting music and lifestyle shows on German cable channels.

Through a lawyer, Ulmen has denied the allegations.Women in Germany fight back against digital harassmentTo view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video https://p.dw.com/p/5ELNSSkip next section Germany summons Russian ambassador over 'terror' in UkraineMay 26, 2026Germany summons Russian ambassador over 'terror' in UkraineThe German Foreign Ministry wrote on social media platform X on Tuesday that it was summoned Sergey Nechayev, the Russian ambassador to Berlin, over its continued "threats, terror, and escalation" in Ukraine. The annoucement came a day after the Kremlin said it intended to launch fresh strikes on Kyiv.

The ministry was also responding to calls from Moscow that Berlin should abandon its embassy in the city.

Germany will "continue to steadfastly support Ukraine," the statement said.

https://p.dw.com/p/5ELG9Skip next section Pistorius to make five-day Canada tripMay 26, 2026Pistorius to make five-day Canada tripGerman Defense Minister Boris Pistorius is set to begin a five-day trip to Canada on Tuesday, with his most important mission to press Ottawa to award a contract to build 12 submarines to German shipbuilder TKMS.

Several EU countries, including Germany, have increasingly courted defense cooperation with Canada as relations with the United States deteriorate under President Donald Trump. Earlier this month, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney became the first non-European leader to attend the European Political Community (EPC) defense summit.

Pistorius announced on Monday that he would cancel a planned trip to Washington that had been scheduled after his Canada visit. According to German media reports, the minister changed his plans because his US counterpart, Pete Hegseth, will not be in Washington and was therefore unable to meet with him. https://p.dw.com/p/5EKVNSkip next section Germany sweats under May heat waveMay 26, 2026Germany sweats under May heat waveWhile Germany might not be setting records like the UK and France, it is still experiencing unusually high spring temperatures as climate change continues to impact the weather around the world.

Read our full report here: Unseasonal May heat wave grips Europe https://p.dw.com/p/5EJeZSkip next section Police union sounds alarm over outdated facilitiesMay 26, 2026Police union sounds alarm over outdated facilitiesThe Police Union (GdP) has complained about a large number of dilapidated police stations within the Federal Police and is urgently calling for better infrastructure.

"It's clear that nearly one in three stations has significant defects or is dilapidated," Andreas Rosskopf, the GdP chairman for the Federal Police division, told the Rheinische Post newspaper. The condition of many buildings and stations is “no longer acceptable.”

Rosskopf added that police were not asking for any "luxury," but basics like break rooms and changing rooms that reflect a more gender diverse force. This week, he added, the union plans to start an official campaign to ask for more funding from federal Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt.

From train tracks to roads, schools, and military equipment, decades of austerity politics have rendered much of German infrastructure significantly outdated.Crumbling infrastructure: Germany's growth killer?To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video https://p.dw.com/p/5EJWYSkip next section Class-action lawsuit against TÜV opens in Munich over Brazil dam collapseMay 26, 2026Class-action lawsuit against TÜV opens in Munich over Brazil dam collapsePreliminary hearings have begun in Munich against TÜV Süd, the Bavaria-based branch of Germany's mostly highly regarded safety testing firm.

The suit was brought by residents of the Brazilian town of Brumadinho. On January 25, 2019, a dam broke outside an iron ore mine owned by the mining company Vale. The collapse caused a mudflow that covered several buildings belonging to the mining operation as well as parts of the town, killing at least 270 people.The release of toxic chemicals from the mine also created a major environmental disater for the entire area.

Thirteen people, mostly Vale employees, have been arrested for negligence over the disaster. Two of those suspects were TÜV Süd engineers who had been part of the team contracted to carry out safety checks on the dam. https://p.dw.com/p/5EJLPSkip next section Childfree adults to pay more in elder care contributions — reportMay 26, 2026Childfree adults to pay more in elder care contributions — reportAccording to a report from German media group RND, federal Health Minister Nina Warken has prepared a draft bill that would have adults without children pay a higher percentage of taxes towards publicly-funded elder care.

The bill would have contributions from childfree adults increase by 0.7% over a period of years, meaning they would pay 2.5% of their income each month. Their employer will be expected to pay 1.8%. For adults with children the rates will remain the same: 1.8% for people with one child, 1.55% for people with two children, and 1.3% for people with three or more children.

Under the proposal, all adults over the age of 23 who are working full-time would be affected.

It is unclear when Warken, a member of Chancellor Friedrich Merz's center-right Christian Democrats (CDU), will submit the draft to the cabinet. Her ministry had originally said it would present a proposal for elder care reform in mid-May. With a long-stagnating birthrate mildly buoyed by immigration, Germany needs to act fast to make sure older generations can be taken care of without placing an undue burden on young people.Who's going to care for Germany's aging population?To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video https://p.dw.com/p/5EJHJSkip next section Welcome to our coverageMay 26, 2026Welcome to our coverageGood morning from DW's newsroom in a sunny, summery Bonn.

Today we will be covering the heatwave that has much of Europe sweltering, German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius beginning a five-day trip to Canada, and the start of a class action lawsuit against German consumer safety firm TÜV.

Check back here for reports, analyses, and headlines from across Germany throughout the day. https://p.dw.com/p/5EJGcShow more posts