The Latest Breaking News from Angela Merkel

German chancellor confirms vote of confidence date, giving path to 23 February election, as Friedrich Merz attempts to create distance between parties

The German chancellor, Olaf Scholz, has sacked his finance minister Christian Lindner escalating a long conflict in the German government and ultimately causing the fragile coalition between Social Democrats, Greens, and the Free Democratic Party to collapse. For once, Scholz, often mocked as a robotic speaker without emotion, appeared to…

Cosy crime, eco-thrillers, political memoirs, YA fantasy: there’s something for everyone in our pick of the books to look out for in the months ahead

FORMER first minister Alex Salmond has claimed David Cameron was “s******g” himself towards the end of the 2014 independence referendum...

The CDU chief has had a smooth lead but he must act to halt the march of far-right voters before the general election, writes Deborah Cole

In today’s newsletter: Alternative für Deutschland have deployed Nazi rhetoric throughout their rise – and they are pulling the mainstream further to the right

Alternative für Deutschland leader speaks of ‘historic success’ of top place in Thuringia and second in Saxony

Britain’s new prime minister has struck up a close relationship with Paris and Berlin and needs their help to unpick problems caused by Brexit, says David Maddox. But it is a strategy full of risk...

It’s not just the AfD that poses a major threat in this weekend’s regional elections – while traditional moderate parties are failing to inspire voters, says commentator and broadcaster John Kampfner