AfD passes motion against Ukraine aid in Saxony-Anhalt, nationwide alcohol ban Introduced at German train stations, cigarette prices set to rise sharply and more news on Thursday, October 15th.
Thursday’s top story: AfD passes motion against Ukraine aid in Saxony-Anhalt
Germany’s AfD and BSW parties passed a motion in a German regional parliament on Wednesday calling for an end to the country’s military aid for Ukraine and for normalising relations with Russia.
The far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party scored a stunning electoral victory last month in the eastern German state of Saxony-Anhalt, and has teamed up with the populist BSW party to pass the motion.
Both the AfD and the BSW are united in denouncing the economic sanctions imposed on Russia by Western nations in retaliation for the full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
They have also demanded that Germany — one of Ukraine’s most important supporters — halt military aid.
Their motion — which is purely advisory — urged Saxony-Anhalt’s government to bring up sanctions relief for Russia and an end to aid for Ukraine in the Bundesrat, the upper house of the national parliament made up of Germany’s 16 federal states.
Moscow has consistently refused to enter into peace talks or agree to a ceasefire until its demands — including large slices of Ukrainian territory — are met.
Chancellor Friedrich Merz has pledged to continue supporting Kyiv at all costs, and has accused Russia of waging a campaign of sabotage, disinformation and espionage against Germany.
READ ALSO: ‘Nothing is certain’ – Has Germany’s firewall against the far-right finally cracked?
Nationwide alcohol ban Introduced at German train stations
Starting on Thursday, Germany has introduced a nationwide ban on alcohol consumption at train stations. The new regulation applies to more than 5,700 railway stations operated by Deutsche Bahn and its subsidiaries across the country.
According to Deutsche Bahn, the ban is intended to improve both safety and cleanliness. The rail operator noted that similar restrictions already in place at around 40 major stations had delivered consistently positive results.
Public support for the policy also appears strong, with a representative survey finding that nearly four in five respondents favour the measure.
READ ALSO: Deutsche Bahn plans alcohol ban at every train station in Germany
The ban applies only to the consumption of alcohol within station premises. Restaurants, cafés and bars located at stations are exempt, while passengers may continue to drink on trains and carry sealed alcoholic beverages in their luggage or shopping bags.
The policy forms part of wider efforts to enhance the travel experience and maintain order in busy transport hubs.
Merz calls for further cuts to proposed EU budget
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said Thursday that more cuts were still needed to the European Union’s proposed budget but insisted he wanted a deal by the end of the year.
Ireland, which holds the EU’s rotating presidency, suggested at the weekend slashing the bloc’s next proposed seven-year budget by 141 billion euros, seeking to bridge deep divisions over the spending plans.
It came after Germany, Europe’s biggest economy, led a drive for major cutbacks to an earlier proposal by Brussels of nearly two trillion euros.
Ahead of an EU summit starting Friday, Merz told parliament that only “limited” funds were available.
“We will have less at our disposal than was originally planned by the (European) Commission,” Merz said, adding that he also wanted “to set the priorities more clearly and correctly.”
Chancellor Friedrich Merz (right, CDU) and French President Emmanuel Macron pictured together at Augustusburg Palace in July. The two leaders are thought to be at odds over proposed cuts to the EU budget. Photo: picture alliance/dpa | Oliver Berg
Germany’s calls for spending restraint have put it at loggerheads with France, the EU’s second-biggest economy, which argues the continent needs sufficient means to match growing challenges.
The EU wants a deal by Christmas, fearing that any delay would push the talks into a difficult election year with worries about what Eurosceptic victories in France and elsewhere would mean for future dealmaking.
READ ALSO: Germany hosts Denmark, Austria ahead of EU budget battle
Cigarette prices set to rise sharply under German tobacco tax reform
Smokers in Germany are facing substantial price increases as the federal government moves ahead with a major tobacco tax reform designed to boost revenues and support public health objectives.
The legislation has cleared a key Bundestag committee and is expected to receive final parliamentary approval, with little opposition anticipated from the Bundesrat.
Under the plans, tobacco taxes will rise annually from 2027 to 2030. The average price of a pack of 20 cigarettes is expected to increase from around €8 today to nearly €12 by 2030, while premium brands could cost as much as €14 per pack.
READ ALSO: Germany’s sugar tax passed by cabinet after last-minute agreement
Fine-cut tobacco used for rolling cigarettes, as well as cigars, cigarillos and hookah tobacco, will also become more expensive.
The government argues that the measure is necessary to strengthen public finances and improve health outcomes. Additional tobacco tax revenues are projected to reach €4.5 billion annually by 2030. Industry representatives dispute these forecasts, warning that higher prices could drive consumers towards cheaper illegal products and expand the black market.
Meeting between the Left party and Vonovia called off amid mutual accusations
A planned meeting between Germany’s Left Party and housing giant Vonovia was cancelled at short notice, with both sides blaming each other for the breakdown in talks.
The meeting, scheduled between Left Party chairman Luigi Pantisano and Vonovia chief executive Luka Mucic, had been intended to address growing tensions over housing policy and proposals to nationalise major property companies.
According to the Left Party, Vonovia reneged on an agreement that would have allowed an independent journalist to attend the discussion. Pantisano criticised the company for insisting on a private meeting, stating that his party does not engage in “backroom politics”.
Parliamentary group leader Heidi Reichinnek echoed these concerns, claiming Vonovia sought to avoid public scrutiny of its role in the housing crisis and had already delayed arrangements by disputing the venue.
Vonovia strongly rejected these accusations, maintaining that the meeting had always been intended to be confidential. The company said it never agreed to journalistic participation and only learned of the cancellation through the journalist invited by the Left Party.
The dispute comes shortly after the Left Party’s electoral success in Berlin, where it has pledged to nationalise large housing companies. With around 130,000 apartments in the capital, Vonovia would be among those most affected.
READ ALSO: Why an unresolved housing referendum is shaping Berlin’s election campaign
With reporting by AFP, DPA and Paul Krantz.
Disclaimer : This story is auto aggregated by a computer programme and has not been created or edited by DOWNTHENEWS. Publisher: thelocal.de
