Are taxes increased? The situation in the morning

Good morning, dear readers,

Who doesn’t know that when it almost tears you between all the to-dos? As a Chancellor has to do in this regard, you can hardly imagine who has not ever experienced it himself. In any case, Friedrich Merz was actually on vacation, but the international situation requires its ongoing commitment. Not only is the already unbearable situation in the Gaza Strip continues to come to a head, but Europeans and Ukraine are also fighting these days that the United States and Russia does not create facts in the Ukraine war without them.

Domestic policy is quickly neglected. For example, Dennis Radtke, head of the CDU employee wing, who, thanks to Merz, thinks in the “Champions League” thanks to Merz, sees it, but combines this with the less subtle hint that the Federal Government must now also “spit” in the hands in terms of domestic policy.

Perhaps the Federal Minister of Finance had a similar idea than on Sunday an even less subtle hint, rather a small Bömbchen placed in the direction of the coalition partner: Lars Klingbeil did not exclude tax increases in the ZDF. In order to fill a gap of 30 billion euros in the 2027 budget, a total package is needed, the SPD boss emphasized. “And I don’t take an option from the table.” People with very high incomes and assets would have to ask what contribution they make so that things are more fair in the country.

For many in the Union is a no-go. CSU boss Söder recently emphasized that there would be no tax increases. One thing is certain: the Chancellor will no longer be able to hide these domestic coalition disputes for too long.

A few days after the meeting of Trump and Putin in Alaska, which remained without concrete results, the Ukrainian President Selenskyj travels to the USA today. He does not appear there alone, several European heads of state and government accompany him, including Federal Chancellor Merz, the Frenchman Macron and the British Keir Starmer. The EU Commission President is also there.

It is a clear sign of solidarity with Ukraine, trying to strengthen Selenskyj. But it is still open whether this actually makes an impression on Trump, the unreliable. In any case, at the Trump Putin summit on Friday, a central demand for Europeans did not seem to have played a major role: that a ceasefire is needed before the start of negotiations.

And Trump already made it clear: In Washington, the Americans will initially meet the Ukrainian representatives alone, the Europeans should only be added afterwards. Trump is likely to put violent pressure on Ukraine in this first meeting. Does Selenskyj, whose country is so dependent on the American support in his defense? You can follow all current developments today in our live blog.

Last week, the federal government announced that rail boss Richard Lutz had to go prematurely. Since 2017, the Palatinate has been at the head of the group, but without the bad situation on the railway (unpunctuality, finance, misunderstanding of the customer). The criticism of the CEO was therefore getting louder.

The Ministry of Transport is said to have now hired a headhunter to find a successor. Or a successor? Several names are already circulating. It would be something completely new: there has never been a train manager.

Millions of Chinese follow the German influencer Tilman Lesche on the net. His mission: to build bridges between the two cultures. Sometimes also with very banal means.

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I wish you a good start to the new week! Sincerely, yours