Search

Bärbel Bas and I worked together trustfully in the federal government. Federal Chancellor Friedrich Merz (70, CDU) says about Bärbel Bas's resignation: "Bärbel Bas and I worked together trustfully in the federal government. I thank her for her commitment. Her decision deserves respect. As a father and grandfather, I can only imagine how heavy this loss weighs. I wish her and her family a lot of strength." #BärbelBas #Rücktritt #SPD (translated)

Julius Böhm wrote that it is new to combine a resignation after a bereavement with a political frontal attack on the coalition partner and to question civil decency in the process. He wished Bärbel Bas a lot of strength and all the best. #Politik #Trauerfall #Koalition (translated)

Federal Chancellor Friedrich Merz wrote that he had worked trustfully with Bärbel Bas in the federal government and thanked her for her commitment. Her decision deserves respect. As a father and grandfather, he can only imagine how heavy the loss weighs; he wishes Bas and her family much strength. #Zusammenhalt #Respekt #Familie (translated)

Simone Svensson wrote that the University of Helsinki would develop a citizenship test in Finland and that the new regulations would formally take effect on January 1, 2027. She compared it to Sweden, where the test, according to her, would not be ready by the original target date of October 1, 2027, and where the parts for oral and written skills were expected to be ready at the earliest by 2030. Svensson asked why the work would take several years in Sweden when it could, in her opinion, be completed in a couple of months in Finland. https://t.co/TRrbmv3bl2 #Finland #Sverige #Medborgarskap (translated)

Regina Laska wrote that Bärbel Bas is stepping down as co-chair of the SPD and as Minister of Labor. In her letter to the party, Bas mentioned the death of her stepdaughter and explained that she needs time to grieve. At the same time, according to Laska, she wrote that public attacks on her have intensified during this time – even from within the ranks of the coalition partner. According to Laska, Bas has been held responsible for problems within the coalition, including an overly expensive pension, too lenient citizen's income, and a weak economy. The author wrote that political criticism can be tough, but there is a line where it becomes malicious. If a minister refers to her own coalition upon resigning, someone in the Chancellery should take notice, she said. Bas retains her parliamentary mandate and hopes to be able to work with full strength again soon, wrote Laska. She expressed her condolences to Bas. #Politik #SPD #Trauer (translated)

The author considered Bas' resignation for personal reasons to be understandable and wished her strength to cope with the personal blow. At the same time, he wrote that her follow-up attacks against the coalition partner CDU showed that the Black-Red coalition was at an end. #Politik #Rücktritt #CDU #DE (translated)

Regina Laska wrote that Donald Trump announced an immediate energy ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine and stated that both sides had agreed. According to her, Volodymyr Zelensky initially had no knowledge of this. Later, he said the report was new to him, but Ukraine was ready to cease attacks on Russian energy facilities, provided that Russia would no longer attack Ukrainian power plants. Laska wrote that there was no initial confirmation from the Kremlin, and Russian attacks continued. According to Ukrainian sources, among others, power plants in Kyiv and Kharkiv were hit. She also referred to Trump's earlier claim from September 14 that both sides had agreed to spare energy facilities; however, a sustainable ceasefire did not emerge from that. The author placed the announcement within a series of Trump's statements: on Friday, he announced a diesel deal with Putin and a US waiver for Russian diesel deliveries; on Saturday, he said Ukraine needed a new president; and on Sunday, he declared a ceasefire, to which this president allegedly agreed. Laska described this as contradictory since Zelensky had simultaneously been portrayed by Trump as a potential negotiating partner, even though he was unaware of the agreement. Furthermore, Laska wrote that seven US senators - four Republicans and three Democrats - legally challenged Trump's diesel deal with Putin. They accused the government of not involving Congress as required and demanded the withdrawal of the deal. While the US Treasury had issued a license, its sufficient legal basis was disputed. In a satirical scene, Laska imagined Trump reacting by putting down his phone, splattering a freshly painted wall while drinking, and possibly firing the painter afterward. #Trump #Ukraine #Russland (translated)