German Chancellor Friedrich Merz delivered his New Year’s address to the nation at the end of 2025, outlining his vision and priorities for 2026 and urging citizens to face global and domestic challenges with confidence and unity. In his speech, Merz reflected on the past year as one of both personal and national stories, marked by achievements, setbacks, and rapid …

The minimum wage and the CO₂ price are rising. The Germany-wide public transport ticket is becoming more expensive, as are fuel and heating with oil and gas. A wide range of changes will come into force in 2026. Many of them take effect automatically, through taxes, social security contributions or higher tax allowances. Others will be felt more directly when …

Travelling to Europe will become more digital and more regulated in 2026, as the European Union and the United Kingdom introduce new entry systems aimed at improving border security and managing migration. These changes will be particularly relevant for travellers from Africa and other non-EU regions who visit Europe for tourism, business, education or family reasons. One of the most …