Displaying items by tag: Germany

Germany’s lockdown measures and Covid-19 restrictions provoked a protest march by around 38,000 people. Hundreds of demonstrators breached a security barrier and raced up the steps outside Berlin's parliament building. They were dispersed by police with pepper spray. Some of them held the flag of former imperial Germany, which is used by the Reichsbürger far-right group. President Steinmeier said the use of Reich flags and right-wing provocations was 'an unbearable attack on the heart of our democracy’. He said people had the right to express their anger about the restrictions and to question them publicly, including demonstrations, but his sympathy ends when protesters allow themselves to be used by enemies of democracy and political agitators. Police arrested about 300 people. Pray that Nazi imperial war flags that recall the darkest period in Germany history will be prevented from ever flying again.

The German government, which holds the rotating presidency of the EU council, had intended to discuss Brexit during a meeting of EU ambassadors on 2 September, but has now decided to drop the Brexit issue because there has not been ‘any tangible progress’ in talks. EU officials now believe the UK government is prepared to risk a no-deal exit when the transition period comes to an end, and will try to pin the blame on Brussels if talks fail. A diplomat said, ‘Brussels laments a completely wasted summer as there is a lack of tangible Brexit progress.’

The government-appointed commissioner to combat anti-Semitism, Felix Klein, was criticised in an open letter to Angela Merkel from sixty academics, authors and artists in Germany and Israel. They warned the Chancellor concerning ‘provocative, factually and legally unsustainable use of the term “anti-Semitism”’, saying that freedom of speech is endangered by criticism of Israel’s policies. However many believe Mr Klein has taken his responsibilities seriously with courage and commitment, tirelessly bringing problems to light and demanding concrete action (anti-Semitism in schools and on the Internet, preventing the growth of extremism, and much more). He is the contact person for Jewish groups and social organisations in the fight against anti-Semitism nationally, at federal state level, and in civil society in general, plus promoting awareness of the latest forms of anti-Semitism. He has received support from many different Jewish organisations.

The lockdown in most of Europe is gradually easing. Social distancing regulations remain in force, but there is no distance spiritually between us and our Father in heaven. We can continue to pray for Europe, and for Germany which assumes the presidency of the EU Council for six months from 1 July. Its government has announced a 130 billion Euro recovery package to strengthen and promote investment from businesses and municipalities. Please pray that in the coming economic challenges that there will be an attitude which serves and protects people’s lives rather than finances (Leviticus 25:35-37). Social unrest has intensified recently in Europe and globally. In times of crisis, social solidity comes under pressure and the divisions within society drive people apart.

Madeleine McCann is ‘assumed’ to be dead, say German prosecutors investigating her disappearance in 2007. A 43-year-old German predator currently in prison for sex crimes is being investigated on suspicion of her murder. Police are appealing for the public's help in solving the case, after they announced on 3 June that they had a new suspect. Her parents, Kate and Gerry McCann, felt the latest development was ‘potentially very significant’. Their spokesperson said, ‘Of all the thousands of leads and potential suspects that have been mentioned in the past, there has never been something as clearcut as that from not just one, but three, police forces.’ The Met are working with German and Portuguese police. They have released details of the suspect's phone number and the number which dialled him before Madeleine’s disappearance; any information about these numbers could be ‘critical’.

Germany's chancellor, Angela Merkel, has outlined her vision of Europe's future ahead of taking over the rotating EU presidency, saying the pandemic will be a 'stress test' for the bloc. The presidency is responsible for directing the Council's work on legislation, ensuring cohesion between member states, and supervising the continuity of the EU agenda. She welcomed the proposal for a 750-billion euro rescue fund announced by Ursula von der Leyen on 27 May, but said more still needs to be done. She has previously said that Europe is facing its biggest crisis since the EU was founded and wants the bloc to take more global responsibility in handling the fallout from the pandemic, especially as ties with the USA remain strained. The US is Europe’s most important partner, but there are currently more difficulties than Europe would like.

Some European countries are cautiously coming out of lockdown. Italy is opening some factories and construction sites. Spain is allowing hairdressers and small businesses to reopen. Germany’s children are back at school. France is also easing lockdown. Political leaders now grapple with the economic and social shocks that lockdown has left behind, while trying to avoid large-scale second waves of infection. Italy is contending with a fresh rise in migrant arrivals from Libya, an ongoing economic crisis, and uneven support from Brussels. Spain is squabbling over spending as Catalan separatist leaders have seized on the pandemic to reignite the argument that their wealthy industrialised region would be better off independent from the devastated economy of the rest of Spain. Germany handled the coronavirus crisis better than other large European countries and favours cautious reopening, but business groups and local governments want to move faster.

Europeans are relaxing coronavirus restrictions for children, with Spain allowing under-14s out of their homes from this week. Holland’s primary schools reopen next month, and French children aged 5 to 11 will return to school on 12 May, but with a limit of 15 pupils per class. The following week, older children will return in selected year groups. Angela Merkel warned that Germany may be rushing its lockdown exit as physical distancing is relaxing and smaller shops reopen. She said Germany remained ‘on the thinnest ice’ despite early achievements. Belgium has a detailed plan to lift coronavirus restrictions gradually, starting on 4 May, when fabric shops will open in order for people to comply with requirements for children over 12 to wear masks on public transport. From 11 May all shops and schools will reopen, with limited pupils in each class.

The Willow Creek 2020 Leadership Conference in Germany started on 27 February with 7,400 attendees, but ended abruptly after one of the speakers contracted coronavirus. The speaker was never present during the event, but was involved with the preparations. Three people who had contact with him have since tested positive for coronavirus. Also an EU prayer meeting due to take place in Zagreb was cancelled due to coronavirus. Pray for the organisers of the many planned 2020 gatherings to make wise decisions due to health and safety issues. Pray also for the plight of homeless refugees as borders and societies close down. See also

The Berlin conference on Libya, attended by rival leaders in the civil war and many international leaders including Vladimir Putin and Turkish President Erdogan, concluded on 19 January. It set forth mechanisms for the establishment of a cease-fire committee which will meet regularly. However, few expect short-term changes on the ground in Libya, as a sustainable resolution remains elusive. In the days following the summit, observers said that Turkey’s increased involvement in the conflict has expanded its diplomatic clout in the nine-year conflict; it has positioned itself as a key broker in developments moving forward. Boris Johnson said that the aim of the conference was to ‘stop jockeying for position. The people of Libya have suffered enough. It is time for the country to move forward.’